Behind White Walls
by Silverbell Kitten
Summary: Winry Rockbell is admitted to a treatment center for suicidal thoughts and diagnosed with depression. However, she soon meets a young doctor who could possibly cure her damaged mind and memories. EVENTUAL Romance! Dr.EdoxWinry Read and Review please! AU
1. Her Prison

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

* * *

The outward appearance of the old building had been more than enough to give any normal person chills throughout their body. It had done more than that to the young Winry Rockbell. She hadn't thought of this as a good idea from the very beginning. The only reason she was standing before this pathetic place was because of her fussy parents that were currently flanking her slender form from each side. Winry had deeply considered turning her back to the building to climb into the safety of her father's old but classic car. It had been a shocking twist for Winry considering her usual wants and needs. Usually, the girl would be thanking her lucky stars when she managed to get out of the old truck, but now was very different. She wouldn't mind the lack of air conditioning and she wouldn't mind the tasteless country music her parents listened to. A little music was always better than no music at all. That was exactly what she would be facing in her temporary residence before her.

"Can't I just have a therapist? I don't see why I have to stay here and waste my time with these people. I'm not like any of them. This place is for crazies who don't know how to function in the real world!"

Winry's voice had heightened considerably to a feeble whine that could quite possibly match a young child that begged for candy in a store. She understood that her complaints were resting on deaf ears. Her parents had firmly made up their mind on this decision and any protests against it would just 'stress' them out.

"Winry, we talked about this to you last night. You're having 'real' problems and removing you from school everyday just isn't working. We agreed on this, remember? You'll stay in here for a few weeks to see how the program works. If it doesn't work out, we'll figure something else out."

Sara Rockbell was ridiculously calm at the wrong times. Winry faintly wondered if this was caused by her mother's career. Sara was a professionally trained doctor that worked alongside her husband in the medical field. The two could be difficult to speak with when problems stirred up within Winry's teenage life. They fussed at her about medication and chemical imbalances in the brain that could cause certain feelings and emotions that were unwanted. Winry had recalled wishing to be a doctor like her parents when she had been younger in her childhood years. When she heard these bland terms and black and white definitions of human behavior, Winry turned her back to all of it. She never wanted to sound so cold and heartless like the ones in white coats with clipboards.

"You're going to agree with everything these people say, mom. You think just like them and you'll take their side if they even _suggest_ I need more time in this place."

"Winry, I'm only asking for a couple weeks. Don't be stubborn."

"They're most likely going to drug me up till I'm a vegetable! How can you even think of doing this to your own daughter?!" Winry worked on raising her voice considerably while she lazily swung around her old fashioned suitcase in her hand.

Sara instantly chose to raise a hand to her forehead and rub at the sides gingerly, allowing an exasperated sigh to escape from her lips.

"Winry-

"You know what I feel like? I feel like a dog. A little pet that's sick and being dumped off at a place where the owners don't have to concern themselves with the little animal anymore. Well I'll have you both know that I'm a human being and I deserve rights like everyone else!" Winry had chosen to become stubborn in her last moments in the open air. Obviously her parents were less than pleased with her behavior and immediately acted accordingly by scolding her.

"Enough… We're not going to stand out here and argue with you. We're wasting time and we're not going to go inside looking like a dysfunctional family."

Her father was rather calm as well, but his voice held far more irritation within the tone along with impatience. Winry, if she had been given the opportunity to do as she would have liked, would have gladly noted that this was quite obviously a dysfunctional family considering the sources. Instead, she chose to remain quiet and fiddle with her blonde locks of hair within her fingers. She had felt an overwhelming sense to burst into childish tears, but had the strength to hold those emotions back for just a little longer while she took her first few steps closer to the treatment center up ahead. The place she had so firmly believed would become her prison for no less than a year. Her parents were lying and she knew it. A couple weeks weren't nearly enough to fix the problems Winry was having. She would be placed in long term treatment for sure. What had hurt her most was the fact that she knew her parents weren't taking this as hard as she felt they should have been. All because they were doctors that saw the world 'black and white'. Winry chose to see her life in many shades of gray and hints of animated colors. She didn't know if she would feel the same way when she walked back out of this building.

* * *

Winry found herself desiring the exterior of the building far more than the interior once they had made it through the large double doors. The waiting room inside was small with enough magazines cluttered in a center table to pass the time for weeks of waiting if needed. The walls were plain and white with only a clock to decorate a small portion of it. The front desk was masked with papers, computers, and keyboards. A large cabinet in the back held stacks of folders, which Winry guessed held all of the files of patients and former patients. It made her stomach twist in despair when she thought of her own name and information being placed within that large cabinet.

Instead of choosing to listen in on the dull conversation that ensued between a lady at the desk and her parents, Winry found herself focusing on the large doors opposite of the ones that led to the exit of her new prison. She had instantly noticed the two small windows in the center of each door, although it was impossible to see anything on the other side from her current distance. She didn't think she wanted to ever see what was on the other side anyways. It most likely consisted of medication, phony people who wanted to 'help' adolescents, and most likely many irritating doctors who felt that keeping teenagers locked up was the best way to help them in society. It all sounded like some kind of a joke to her. It felt more like they were using this place to quarantine all of the 'different thinkers' and keep them away from 'common folk'. Winry didn't believe any doctor really understood or cared about their patients' mental health. In her opinion, the white coats only cared about money and their reputation. Why should they ruin their chances by actually considering the needs of the ones they were supposed to be helping?

"Winry, come here for a minute."

The disoriented girl had taken a generous amount of time to register the voice as her mother's before slowly sauntering up to the desk. Perhaps it was best she took her eyes off of those doors for the time being anyways. She would be behind them soon enough when this conversation was done and over with. Winry found that this was going to be a conversation she didn't find herself liking at all either. The woman she was speaking with was old and wrinkly and her eyes screamed 'careless' and 'rude'. In Winry's opinion, the aging crone needed to be in a hospital herself and not working at one.

"Winry Rockbell, is it?"

There wasn't a hint of kindness in the woman's voice. Winry half heartedly nodded and kept her baby blue eyes focused on papers resting on the desk infront of her. She didn't feel like giving this lady any respect since it was quite clear that that the old bat had no desire to try and respect her.

"What's your reason for being here?"

As if she didn't know the answer to that. Winry was already beginning to greatly dislike this woman by the second.

"I have depression and suicidal thoughts."

"You ever hurt yourself?"

"No, I haven't."

"You're certain?"

Winry paused in her fire back responses and desperately turned her ocean orbs to her parents beside her. This was downright degrading and humiliating in her eyes. Why did she have to tell this woman everything about her?

"Winry… answer the question for her." Sara encouraged slowly.

"I'm sure," Winry answered reluctantly.

The old woman calmly nodded and continued her business like report on what she was hearing.

"Have you ever hurt anyone else? Your friends, your parents?"

That was outrageous! Winry felt rage burn within her and her eyes narrowed to slits at the woman behind the desk. Winry was not that kind of a person to take her anger and confusion out on someone else. She would never even dream of hurting another to solve her problems.

"Of course not! I would never hurt anybody else!"

"Ever _thought_ of hurting anyone?"

"No!"

Winry was seething with anger with the questions being asked to her. It had even begun to cause tears to prickle in the corner of the girl's eyes. The tears threatened to overwhelm her soon if she wasn't relieved of this pounding pressure.

"When you get your room within here, do you believe you'll try to escape?"

That was a stupid question. Winry felt slight confusion from it, but it soon turned to humor. What moron in their right mind would actually tell these people if they planned to escape? It would surely backfire if they did, right?

"How would I know? I think everybody wants to try and escape in here."

A stupid answer for a stupid question.

"But I won't, no."

Her voice dropped to a low whisper and her body stiffened with tension. The old woman considered her for a long while before going back to her writing.

"Thank you, Winry. I'll get the rest of the information from your parents. As you already know, you are considered a threat to yourself and others, therefore leaving is now out of the question."

Winry rolled her eyes at the woman's words. She felt like patting the lady on the back for pointing out the obvious. However, she still wasn't pleased in the least with being told that she was a 'threat' to others. That just wasn't true. Winry easily socked or threw a few playful punches to her friends in the past for teasing her, but anything more just wasn't in her nature.

Her sudden thoughts came to a violent stop when she noted one of the 'white coats' had so suddenly stepped up behind the old woman to question her on business Winry had no particular interest in. However, the medical talk was not what was sparking her interest in the least. The man that was quite clearly a doctor within this facility had taken her by surprise. Winry noted that he looked ridiculously young and appeared to be far too casual looking to fit the description she had been aiming to pin all of these people with. Instead of the neatly trimmed stereotypical hair she usually saw, Winry was met with a deeper shade of long blonde hair tied back in a neat ponytail. He was oddly short, but definitely compact and well built when it came to a body frame.

"Hey Farrah, aside from the useless prescription I put through; do you have any idea where I put my coffee?" his voice was surprisingly masculine and deep that didn't seem to match his choice of hairstyle. Still, Winry felt it fit well enough for someone like him.

"Doctor Elric, you know I can't keep track of a cup of coffee for you. Sometimes I wonder how you got this job. You'd lose your damn head if it wasn't attached." the woman grumbled, clutching her pen to the paper below it.

Winry was startled by this man's carefree attitude and devilish grin. Doctors didn't smile like that and they sure as hell weren't carefree! They were supposed to be stiff and uptight! Winry stubbornly chose to believe that the man was putting on a front for the people within the waiting room. He was most likely a crummy, dry humored man when he was behind those doors.

"Would you just call me Ed? I hate formalities."

The young man shuffled around through files in the cabinet behind the desk, cursing occasionally.

"Edward works too if Ed is too casual for you, Farrah."

Farrah snorted while she sorted out the papers on her desk, moving her fingers to the keyboard and allowing her sunk in eyes to focus on the monitor.

"How about 'doctor'?"

An awkward pause ensued.

"You really don't want to just call me by my first name, do you?"

"No, I don't."

Edward chuckled as he yanked out a fresh, slightly crumpled paper from the cabinet.

"Found the prescription."

His eyes focused on Winry for a split second, winking to her casually before making his way to the back door to lead on to the unit with his patients.

"Bring me some more coffee, will ya?"

"Will do, Doctor Elric." Farrah called back to him without turning, typing away rapidly on the keyboard. Winry was shocked and surprised, seeing as how the old woman looked as though she would snap like a twig if she was given too much work.

Sara seemed delighted by the young doctor's personality and leaned forward to see if she could catch one last glance of the blonde. When she so noticeably failed, her eyes traveled back to the woman at the desk, questioning her on the history of the one they all had just seen. Winry didn't want to become too interested in someone who had such a dry, emotionless job. But she did get small snippets of information about him. His name was Edward Elric and was one of the newest doctors that had been asked to work within the treatment center. She didn't catch his age, which bugged her, but she figured she would somehow find out later on within these walls soon enough. The young man had been considered a genius and one of the best doctors in the state thus far. Winry found this hard to believe and chose to push the so-called doctor out of her mind for the time being. She had more important things to worry about and it didn't include concerning herself with a new medical 'genius'.

"Are you ready to go inside, Winry?" her mother questioned softly, pointing to the door she had been eyeing earlier. "They're ready to take you back and get you settled."

Winry suddenly felt the sense of abandonment from her parents. They actually were going to go through this. They actually intended to leave her here in this prison! She couldn't help but feel bitter towards them. She didn't want to be here and now she was given no choice. They weren't going to let her leave now that she was thought to be some sort of threat to the outside world. Winry chose to ignore her mother's thoughtless question and simply stepped up to the door, waiting for it to open. She mentally cursed herself the second she turned her back to her parents, still clutching her small suitcase. Her eyes were clouding up and it was blurring her vision. The battle against her tears was beginning and Winry had a sinking feeling that she was going to lose this round. It was useless in the end, for Winry had lost the same battle a year ago and had given into to the aching pain in her chest that followed her and the violent memory that haunted her nightmares.

* * *

Based on real events! Excluding the handsome, young doctor. Too bad, right?

A lot of stuff throughout the story is based on real things that happened, but not all! Thank you! I hope you read and review and enjoy! I apologize about some of the crappy grammar!


	2. Her Decisions

Hey everyone. I understand that you guys aren't very used to Doctor/Patient romance. Understand, I don't dare throw them into romantic tendencies. I also realize that Winry would have been more suited to be the doctor instead of crazy Edward. However, I must consider some of the things I plan to do later on in the story and I feel it would be just too awkward to have Edo as the patient. Thank you! Please keep reading!

NOTE: I would also like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

* * *

The small walk to her new room had given Winry plenty of 'thinking time'. She had chosen to ignore the nurse walking at her side, instead prepping herself and devising plans on an earlier discharge from the mental institution. She figured if she kept up her stubborn attitude and resisted the treatment, she would be released and left alone. If that didn't work she could always fake happiness. Winry preferred her first choice, seeing as how it didn't give the staff the satisfaction of thinking their ridiculous ideas for helping people was actually working. She didn't want to seem like she was an evil teenager hell bent on giving these people a hard time; but she simply didn't agree with their ideas. Winry had enough knowledge to know how these people saw the world, and she found it more than a little shallow.

"Here we are. You can set your stuff down on your bed."

The nurse had a sickeningly sweet voice that disgusted Winry. The woman had cocoa brown hair that hung past her shoulders and tinged pink bangs that framed her tanned face and cheerful smile. Winry chose to believe it was all fake and untrue. If these people really cared, they would have listened to her when she said she didn't need to be here.

Instead of throwing a rude complaint at the nurse, Winry set her suitcase down on the bed and took the time to look over her room. It was bland needless to say. It was plain like the rest of the facility. The only thing she felt could be considered nice about it were the large windows- it had a decent view of the outside. She could actually see cars speeding by on the street and a few stores on the other side. She could even see people walking down the sidewalks chatting to one another casually. The rest of the room was less than impressive. Tiled cold floor, two beds with thin blue blankets and white sheets, cracked nightstands, and a pathetic excuse for a bathroom in the corner. Judging by the smooth wooden door and silver latched knob, Winry didn't believe there was a lock on it.

"We don't get any privacy going to the bathroom or showering?" she questioned irritably.

"You do get privacy, Winry. But there are no locks on the door for your own safety." As if showing her was going to help, the woman led Winry to the back to allow her a glance inside the bathroom. The design failed to impress the girl in the least. The toilet was crammed on the right side while the shower rested on the left at a mere two feet away.

'_A hose in a closet_,' she thought.

"Nobody comes in here unless we deem you to be unsafe to yourself while you're alone."

"Aren't I considered unsafe overall? I don't think I would be in here otherwise," she scoffed.

The nurse chose to ignore the girl's sarcastic remark and moved throughout the room to the center. Winry had followed along reluctantly, but chose to continue looking for any other problems within. It didn't take her long to find the one she was most unhappy with. A small square device that had been placed above on a higher section of the wall. It never failed to flicker a bright red with every small motion Winry made. She had a sinking feeling she knew what it was.

"Is that an alarm?" her blue eyes remained focused on the device as the nurse nodded her head. "So I can't even get up to go the bathroom without that thing going off?"

The woman alone in the room with Winry was beginning to grow exasperated with the girl's behavior. Her voice dripped with bitterness every time she asked a question or made a comment. She couldn't say she wasn't used to it. She had plenty of teenagers come along and shine with nothing _but_ disrespect.

"The alarm is only activated at night. When it's bedtime we turn it on. Aside from that you'll never even notice it."

Hardly. That flicking light was distracting enough _without_ any loud buzzing. It was also degrading to be made to feel like she couldn't even get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night without someone coming to check on her. This was going to be a long, excruciating stay.

* * *

After suffering a humiliating strip search from two nurses at once, Winry was finally allowed to socialize with the other patients within the 'Day Room'. This room was known for being the one that everyone actually spent most of their time in. Winry dully noted that this was probably the reason why most of the patients were on edge. There was no real privacy for anyone. It also resembled a children's nursery in some ways, which made staying within the four walls even harder. Winry wondered if the designers of this center had aimed towards teasing the patients by placing one locked door and two huge windows within the Day Room. They could all look and dream about the outdoors, but for the most part it remained a rare fantasy. Aside from the teasing parts within the structure, it held shelves of board games and puzzles at a far left corner and was poorly furnished with the ugliest, long, blue couches known to man. Winry realized they were stiff to the touch with a rough, plastic texture. So much for making herself at home in such a place. For all the money they were given to keep this building up, they sure made terrible choices on what to give to their patients.

Winry was not an anti social person in reality, but being placed within a facility filled with nutcases made her a little weary. She noticed that many looked terribly unhappy and others looked about ready to kill if they had the means to do so. Then there were some patients that really needed extra care- one boy in particular. The middle aged teenager had been standing so stiffly in the middle of the room, Winry had joked to herself that he looked like a human statue. Then the bouncing started up. The expressionless male had so suddenly begun to hop up and down in place like a bunny. It puzzled her, but she kept her comments to herself and went to take a seat on the washed out blue couch.

It had not taken long for conversation to find her within this crowded room. Winry was the new girl after all and the patients were nosy enough to question her on her reasons for being here. One girl in particular had taken a sudden interest in her. The girl was dark in skin color and possessed round, chocolate brown eyes. Her thick hair had been neatly tied back in a ponytail though there was clearly not much to hold back. Instead of having a feminine build, Winry recognized that the girl seemed very keen on exercising and had built a bit of muscle in her arms. It appeared as though this dark skinned female didn't care whether she was welcome to sit beside Winry or not. She propped herself beside the blonde lazily and stretched her arms behind her to dangle off the head of the couch.

"Whatcha in here for?" she asked carelessly, eyes glued on the ceiling. Winry was taken aback by how direct and straightforward the girl was.

"Depression and… suicidal thoughts."

"Well that really sucks. Did you ever attempt?"

"Um, no. But I'm really considering it," she mumbled uncomfortably.

"What makes ya wanna do it? Parents?" the girl shrugged and allowed her eyes to focus on Winry beside her.

"Actually I'm not… really comfortable-"

"Ah that's alright. But I gotta warn ya. They are really pushy here. They borderline on sappy and corny too when we're in 'Group'."

"Group?" Winry arched a curious brow.

"Well yeah. It's the cheesy little get together we have in this room. We talk about our 'feelings' and listen to other people's stories." said the girl bluntly. "Nobody in here really likes them aside from a rare few. Most of us think it's a waste of time. But it's best you humor them. You'll be here longer if you don't cooperate."

This had struck a bitter chord within Winry. She didn't want to cooperate! She didn't want to speak with any of these people about her feelings or what had gone on in her life. She didn't believe it was any of their business. If she chose to keep these secrets to herself then so be it.

"I'm not humoring these people. I don't need to be in a place like this. I'm not going to be a suck up," grumbled Winry.

The girl smirked and shrugged.

"It's your funeral girly. But I think everybody has a bit of stubbornness in them when they first come here," she snorted and crossed one leg over the other. "What's your name anyways?"

"It's Winry." The girl nodded and held out a welcoming hand.

"Paninya. Pleased to meet ya."

"_Charmed…_" Winry thought miserably, extending an arm out. "Yeah, pleased to meet you too."

The two girls didn't take very long to grow somewhat attached to eachother through their small conversation. It was better than the alternative since they soon found out that they were to be roommates. Winry also discovered that Paninya was apparently a valuable gold mine of information when it came to knowledge about patients and staff alike. She had soon learned that the boy that had been bouncing earlier was in the treatment center because he had lost interest in the real world and lacked personal hygiene and motivation to get up and do much of anything. A sassy redhead in the corner of the room had tried to commit suicide in Juvenile Hall only days ago and had been brought in handcuffs.

"She nearly broke one of the staff member's noses with her arrival. She's a feisty one." Paninya chuckled. Winry nodded and directed her eyes to another female patient toying with a puzzle board.

"What about her?" she asked.

"She's in here for the same reason as you. Only personally I think she feels the way she does because she hasn't warmed anyone's bed for a year. She insists she's sexually frustrated." Paninya laughed.

Winry had been ready to point out a few other interesting patients she wanted to learn about, but found herself pausing when a familiar, casual voice streamed through the room.

"How you guys doing today? The 'guards' let you out for some fresh air yet?" It was Edward Elric again. The young man had stepped into the day room so quietly that Winry had barely noticed. She immediately puffed her cheeks out in irritation. The girl had no idea why she felt the reason to dislike the young blonde doctor. Perhaps it was because she had been so stuck on labeling medical professionals as cold and uncaring, but found him to be unacceptably different.

"_It's just an act,"_ Winry thought stubbornly. "_He probably just pities us because we don't get to go outside._"

Edward allowed his golden eyes to scan over the room quickly for his targeted patients. He had heard he got someone new in for the day. The blonde knew every teenager in all the units of the building, so finding the new one within a specific section wouldn't prove to be too difficult. Eventually his gaze locked on the girl sitting on the tasteless couch. He smirked and lowered his clipboard to his side, using a free hand to point at her.

"You're the new one aren't you? I saw you checking in a few hours ago with your parents, didn't I? I never forget a face." Winry stared. The young doctor grinned before sauntering over to the upset girl to take a seat beside her while waving to Paninya.

"Am I wrong?" he asked smugly.

"No." Winry was less than amused. She instantly chose to latch onto her feelings of dislike towards doctors in general, and fire all of it out on Edward with her eyes and icy tone.

"I knew it. I just love it when I'm right." said Edward with a chuckle." You mind me asking why you're looking ready to slaughter someone though?"

"Because I am ready if I can get away with it," she snapped.

"Then I'll be sure to note that in your file. I can easily peg you as a threat," he said truthfully with an amused smirk. "If you'd like I can also give you some 'time out' in the Quiet Room with the cameras if you're too angry to speak with me. I do believe I'm your doctor for your temporary stay."

Winry scowled at the other and scooted in the opposite direction of the couch.

"I want a different doctor. You look too inexperienced and young."

"You'd rather have an old quack instead?" Edward countered.

"How old are you?" Winry asked, crossing her arms snugly over her chest. "Most people don't become doctors till their later years."

Edward laughed and flipped through the papers on his clipboard and allowed his golden eyes to roam over the written words and signatures on the bottom pages.

"Is that so? Well I'm not 'most people'. I'm turning twenty this February."

Winry's eyes widened in shock at his spoken age. He was far younger than she had expected. How was it even possible for one so young to already become an accomplished medical professional within such a short time? Learning everything that came with being a doctor took years.

"You're not even old enough to drink!" she yelled. Edward rolled his eyes, twirling his pen with his gloved fingers.

"No, I suppose I'm not. But alcohol never interested me anyways," he muttered. Paninya leaned forward quickly and shook her head pointing a finger.

"That's not true. You said you went to a bar once and they said you were too young and short to drink. Didn't you get kicked out?"

Edward noticeably flinched, gripping his pen with gritted teeth. He cleared his throat and soon began to scribble notes on the paper before him.

"Paninya, I have a sudden urge to up your medication. If we're lucky you'll end up in a vegetative state and get yourself trucked off somewhere else. I pity the doctor who would have to keep their eye on you," he scoffed.

Winry was bordering on confusion. She had never heard a doctor joke so casually about increasing the dosage for medication and hoping for the patient to achieve a vegetative status within a hospital. Edward was definitely the first who had been so open to say such things.

"I'll have you fired before that happens, doctor," Paninya sang innocently as she fiddled with the sleeves that covered her arms. Edward had paid close attention to the dark skinned girl for a generous amount of time before turning his attention back to Winry.

"You can make a simple choice. You can discuss some things with me or you can camp out in that infamous Quiet Room. I'm not going to force you and drag you down the hall kicking and screaming. Make no mistake that I'm quite capable of doing so and winning… but I think I'll pass on it this time around," said Edward calmly.

If Winry disliked the young man before, she really despised him now. He had stepped into this room and had so rudely reduced her to a small child. He had given her two very unfair choices and neither sounded appealing to her. She could either talk with him about things she would rather keep private or waste her time away in a room wired with cameras to watch her.

"I can't guarantee your release from that room any time soon if you happen to decide to spend your time in there," Edward said softly.

Winry helplessly let her eyes rest on her roommate beside her with a frown. Paninya gave the girl a light nudge to leave the couch with a nod of her head. It apparently seemed as though speaking with Edward was in favor instead of being placed within the isolated room. Winry didn't feel like being punished her first day anyways.

"I'll go with you I guess," she muttered. Winry would have rather wandered off for a nap, but found that it just wasn't possible at the present time.

"I'm going to assure you that picking a chat with _me_ is loads better than wasting away in that camera room," said Edward with a small hint of a smile.

"You're the one that would be rude enough to toss me in there," Winry snapped raising her voice.

"Not exactly," he lifted himself off the couch with an expressive stretch. "But it _would_ be part of my_ job_ to cast you in there until I determine what you're capable of."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she hissed narrowing her eyes. Edward shrugged as he walked to the open door to exit the Day Room.

"It means that you were noted as a danger to yourself. This means that unless I can reverse your unstable mindset you'll be spending a few nights in lonely isolation," Edward explained.

Winry clenched her hands into fists at his words. She was so suddenly having a hard time fighting back her tears. But she refused to cry infront of this doctor. Why should she care if she spent time in isolation? She had wanted to be left alone anyways. A few cameras here and there weren't so bad, right?

"I didn't attempt anything. This is unfair," she complained while following him down a hall. Edward kept his back to her and continued to scribble and jot down notes on seemingly random papers.

"No, you didn't. But your file reads that you were dangerously close to committing," he turned to walk into Winry's room, pulling out a chair for himself and the girl that had followed him. Once he had taken his seat, Edward was quick to make himself comfortable while waiting for Winry to do the same. "Did you have a plan?"

"It's none of your business," Winry whispered irritably.

Edward tilted his head and carefully considered her with a frown.

"I'd say it is my business. Unfortunately for you, we're going to be getting to know eachother more and more as the weeks go on." Winry felt her vision cloud again. Her fingers clutched at the material on her jeans, tugging at them and squeezing. Edward had mentioned seeing her for _weeks_. The thought alone stung her.

"You can't do that. I don't need to be here for weeks. I don't need to be here at all!" she yelled.

"I _can_ do it if you prove to everyone here that you're consistently unstable." Edward sighed. "I'm not aiming to lock you away forever Winry. This is our first meeting and you're already taking it as an attack." His golden orbs bore into the girl's deep blue eyes. Winry was quick to avert her eyes elsewhere.

"I'm also kinda curious as to know why you seem so hateful. You mind sharing?"

Edward could almost see and feel the mental wall that surrounded the girl infront of him. He wasn't going to expect to hear much from her within this short amount of time. In all honesty, Edward wasn't supposed to dive into his patients' feelings and memories. That job rested with the facilities therapists. However, he felt that he could take a shot at it once in a blue moon.

"It's none of your business! It's nobody's business! I just want to go back home! You're not going to help me and neither is anybody in this lousy place. You really expect anybody to get better in here while staring at empty white walls and bottles of pills!?" she snapped, slamming her fist into her leg. Edward winced at the action and continued to keep his eyes on her.

"What can I say? I'm a science person. So I'll have to say that I _do_ believe you and everyone else can get better with medication and positive stimulation to the mind," Edward answered. As he expected, Winry instantly became offended with his words. Perhaps he was a doctor and not a therapist for a reason. He didn't seem to excel in these things.

"You're such a jerk! You're worse than an old doctor! You're arrogant and rude!" she was one to talk since she had been rather rude herself.

"I'll admit to that. I can be a jerk and I've been called arrogant enough to last me a lifetime. But I'm not the one under observation so its really not posing a problem now is it?" asked Edward smoothly. Perhaps he let his logical thinking get the best of him more often than not. He was being more than a little cocky at the moment.

"I'm not under observation!" Winry shouted heatedly.

"I'd actually care to disagree. You wouldn't be here if that were the case," his eyes lowered back to the paper on his clipboard while he fiddled with his pen between his fingers. He couldn't say it didn't startle him when Winry had suddenly jolted to her feet, glaring down at him.

"This is exactly what I mean. You people aren't here to help. You just make everyone feel worse! It's no wonder everyone in here including myself wants to either get out of here or tie a noose around their neck!"

Unfortunately this was the wrong thing to say. Edward looked up at her, clearly exasperated with how the whole conversation had gone.

"Okay then. We're finished for now. Let's go," he sighed standing from his chair. "You've made it plainly obvious to me that you're nowhere near trustworthy enough to stay in here for the night."

Winry felt her body grow suddenly cold with confusion. This was the room she was supposed to be staying in, so why was she leaving? It had taken a few moments to register in her mind on what he had meant by being unable to remain in the room by herself.

"I'm not going anywhere. Call my parents right now. I'm not staying in this place," she huffed.

"I'm not calling them. Get up before I move you myself. You're on suicide watch from now until I decide you're more stable," he said keeping his voice low. Winry remained where she was, glaring at him through her blonde locks of hair. Edward was growing impatient.

"Fine then. Care to humiliate yourself infront of the rest of the patients when they see you being carried to the other room?" he asked quietly. "That's what's getting ready to happen in five seconds."

"I don't need to be treated like a child." Winry hissed.

"Then stop acting like one," he grumbled. "And walk…"

He had tried to give her a chance to make a wise decision. He hoped she would take the opportunity instead of allowing him to drag her down the hall. There would be consequences for that and he felt the need to enlighten her on them.

"If I have to take you to that room without your cooperation Winry, restraints and sedatives will surely pop into place. I don't think you want either of those", said Edward. "So walk with me and everything will be fine."

Winry was hesitant on what she wanted to do. She didn't want to go into that room with the cameras. Earlier she had felt that this 'Quiet Room' would not be nearly as bad as mingling around medical staff that thrived on drugging people up. But now that she was being faced with it, it didn't seem like such a happy place for her. She found herself suddenly wanting to go back and socialize with Paninya.

"I won't hurt myself," Winry whispered.

"I have to say that I don't believe you. I'm more interested in following my judgment. If I were to find you in this room hurt the next time I visit, I would curse myself for being a stupid, naïve doctor." Edward raised a brow. He wondered if she was ready to give up the useless struggle and follow him.

"I don't want to go in there," she murmured keeping her eyes on the floor.

"_I don't care,"_ thought Edward testily. "You can come out when that group starts up with their discussions. Until then that's where you're going."

Winry was furious and hurt. She had made a mental note to herself to scream and blame her parents for all of this whenever she got the chance to see them again. She didn't want to go in some small room with cameras watching her every move. It made her stomach twist with nervousness and disgust. However, she had felt that fighting with this young man was going to end terribly if she didn't just throw in the towel and give in for the time being.

"I hate this place," she muttered walking past him.

Edward watched her carefully before following behind her, sighing at her childish attitude. He had used to be somewhat like her. He even cared to believe that he had been worse. Edward had been moody in the past and had a raging temper when people had made him irritable. Granted, he still could be moody nowadays and his temper still poked around from time to time. He just did his best to hold it back while he was on the job.

The two walked down the hall together quietly, neither wanting to speak to one another. Edward had given up for the day and Winry was feeling more than a little hateful towards her young doctor. Once they reached their destination, Edward carefully peered into the isolated room and nodded his head in approval.

"It's empty. Go on in," he said in a neutral tone. He noticed Winry had been hesitating, but she had eventually forced herself to step inside.

She didn't like the room at all. It looked worse than the room she would be sharing with Paninya. It was disturbingly cold and the walls looked lonelier than the others she had come across. The bed had fresh thin sheets to slip into along with a familiar ugly blue blanket. Winry absently wondered what these people had against making the beautiful color look so grungy and worn- as if the couches out in the Day Room weren't enough.

"Someone will come get you when the group starts up," said Edward with a sigh.

He obviously didn't thrive on the fact that he had to place his new patient into a room to be carefully monitored. He noticed how unhappy she was when she spotted the two cameras aiming at her from two walls infront of her.

"It's not so bad Winry. You'll be out before you know it," he reassured her.

"You never had to be under 'observation'. What would you know?" muttered Winry.

"No, I haven't. But you won't have to be either if you just cooperate with me. I understand your need to be stubborn. I think I would act the same way if I were in here. But I'll assure you that it's a futile battle unless you aim to be placed in long term for six months to a year," explained Edward dryly.

Winry ignored the blonde specialist and climbed into the uncomfortable bed, placing her head onto the pillow that had been provided. She instantly chose to turn her back to Edward and the cameras out of spite and anger. Edward on the other hand had thick skin. He didn't allow people to ruin his day- especially when he had only been trying to help.

"I'll see you later tonight to talk about the medication I'll be giving to you."

There was no room for argument in his voice. Edward wasn't going to waste his time and reason with the stubborn girl about pills that she was going to have to take whether she liked it or not. Instead of waiting for a reply, he made his way out of the room and cracked the door halfway, granting her some sound from the hallways.

Winry snarled into her pillow and dug her fingers deeply into the mattress beneath her. That man made her so angry. She didn't want any medication! She wanted nothing to do with pills!

"I'm not going to hurt myself. I'm not," Winry whispered. "I wasn't going to do anything."

The sudden soft sound of crying had reached Edward's ears as he paused in the hall. He didn't like it when people cried because of him. It made him feel terrible inside. He heard it all too often in this place and he never felt as though he had gotten used to it.

"You'll be just fine Winry." He muttered to himself as he turned a corner in the hall.

He had more work to do. Edward couldn't stop to babysit one girl and constantly attempt to reason with her. She would have to learn to adapt and she would have to learn quickly. If Winry didn't follow his temporary treatment plan he was beginning to make out for her, she would find herself locked within this prison for far longer than just a few weeks.

* * *

Sorry about the grammar mistakes again. I have no editor! Anybody want the job? lol Please Review! Stay nice, okay? I'm trying something new!


	3. Adjustments and Groups

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Winry hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep so quickly. Everything had been unclear until her eyes had opened later on to gaze at the bland walls within the Quiet Room. Surprisingly, she found that she still held dried tear stains on her cheeks. Winry could remember how much pain she had been in earlier when her doctor had escorted her into this isolated area. Just thinking of that man had Winry's heart beating fast with anger and turmoil. Who did he think he was anyways? She didn't care if he was a doctor or if he could have possibly been god himself. She just couldn't bring herself to believe that she deserved what she had gotten only a few hours ago. A part of her believed that Edward had only been trying to help, while the other half insisted that he was placed within this facility for the sole purpose to drive her mad. As if she wasn't already in a stressful situation with her mental disorders. The last thing she needed to hear was that she had gone insane. Winry remembered that it was supposed to be impossible to lose your sanity when one actually questioned if they still possessed it or not, so she deemed herself safe for the time being.

"Doctors can be so simple minded. Keeping me locked up in a room with a camera isn't going to make me feel stabilized. No wonder these dumb facilities never work for people. I tried to tell mom that over and over. I guess I'm just wasting my breath… she always agrees with these people just like dad does" she whispered.

Winry lifted her eyes to face the camera located up above her and mounted to the wall. It gave her the chills just looking at it. Knowing that someone was actually peering back at her through a screen made her feel uneasy. She felt it was a joke that these treatment centers actually insisted that their goal was to make sure people felt safe. How could any sane person feel safe and secure with someone watching their every move? Winry mused that it was somewhat like having a personal stalker, but only knowing about it, instead of being oblivious.

A part of her had wished that she hadn't stirred in the lumpy bed. Surely the medical staff would be coming in soon enough to hound her and annoy her with fake kindness. Winry insisted to herself that all of the people within this facility were phony and believed in quarantining people with problems. Someone with a brilliant mind could end up here if they thought differently enough. Winry could never forget how she had lost a certain brilliant friend due to these people and their tricks in the past. Apparently she had been next on the list.

"It won't be any surprise to me when my mind starts turning to mush from the medication" she grumbled. "Maybe it's better that way so I won't feel half as suicidal with jello for a brain."

Winry shifted her body up and out of the bed, placing her feet firmly on the floor. Thankfully she had socks; else she would be getting the chills from a cold tile floor beneath her. Her eyes drifted away from the camera and took in the room more carefully for the first time. It really was a depressing place. The paint on the walls was chipping, and the floor looked like it needed a nice sweep. All that was in this room was the dingy bed with the thin rough sheets, and the lonely blue blanket. Winry decided that she now hated that color. Though the longer she stared at the bed, the more uncomfortable she got. She rubbed at the back of her clammy neck and took in a shaky breath as she forced herself to turn away from it. She was becoming claustrophobic in this tiny room. She wanted out immediately, but she refused to make any signal to the camera that she wanted them to come.

Winry decided that she didn't want to sit on the bed anymore, instead finding a spot in a corner to huddle in. She realized that this position probably made her look more than a little crazy and weak, but she didn't care. Anything was better than that bed right now. Winry pulled her knees close to her chest and hugged them to her. She could feel tears starting to build up in the corner of her eyes, but she rapidly wiped them away and buried her face into her knees. It had only been a day and she was already miserable within this place. She was uncomfortable and scared. She wanted to go back home and sit infront of her desk to tinker with radios and gadgets she liked to take apart. Winry didn't want anybody's help! She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her. She just wanted to escape from this place and never turn back. The more she thought about the idea, the more appealing it became. Perhaps a chat with Paninya would prove whether it was a good idea or not. But even if she did manage to leave this place- where would she go? Winry couldn't go back home. That would be the first place they would search for her. And when they found her, they would drag her back to this prison and keep her locked up until she was deemed safe enough to walk around. All of it was just a big mess to think about.

"Winry, are you ready to come out now?" The voice had stirred her from her thoughts and instantly caused her head to tilt up to see just who had stepped into the room. Thankfully, it was just the nurse with the pretty pink bangs.

Winry wasn't quite sure what to say while she peered up at her. The woman hadn't questioned why she was curled up in the corner. Perhaps it was a common sight in this place?

"Why? So I can see that rude doctor again? I would rather take my chances and stay in here all alone" Winry spat. That had been a lie, of course. Winry didn't want to stay in this Quiet Room. She wanted to go see Paninya and try to make herself feel better. Unfortunately, her pride had gotten the best of her.

"Well I'm still obligated to give you a chance to come out. I really don't believe you like it in here much" the nurse pointed out calmly.

Winry couldn't hide the expression that played on her face at that moment. She looked almost vulnerable and weakened by the woman's words. It was nothing more than the truth and Winry felt almost offended that the nurse could figure it out so easily. It wasn't as if the woman deserved a prize for figuring something so simple out. She was certain that most of the patients in this facility despised being in this room.

Winry leaned forward to squint her eyes to make out the name that was engraved on the nurse's shiny name tag. With some work, she was able to finally make out what it said. The nurse's name was Rose. How fitting when it came to her hair. She almost found herself smiling at the woman, but quickly turned her head away while she slowly got to her feet. She saw no point in arguing to stay in here when it really wasn't what she desired.

"We're not having group, are we?" The thoughts of the cheesy questions being asked of her had made her stomach turn. Paninya obviously didn't like them, so she didn't believe she would either.

"Group is actually in five minutes. You missed three of them already while you were asleep" said Rose softly.

How wonderful. Apparently there were different groups throughout the day. Winry couldn't help but scoff and step over to the door to peer out down the hall.

"This hospital should just say there's a perpetual group and be done with it. If I missed three while I was sleeping, they obviously happen more often than not."

If Rose had heard the smart remark, she chose to ignore it. Instead, she led Winry out of the Quiet Room and back to her own bedroom for her five minutes of peace with Paninya. She had been led from one bland room to the next. The only enlightening thing about her own room was that she had someone to talk to and no cameras were involved.

Winry noticed the cheerful wave from Paninya and instantly waved back. Her sour mood would have brightened considerably, had she not noticed that her suitcase was missing. It had been on her bed before she had left for the Quiet Room. Rose had told her that it was okay to put it down, so where was it now?! The thought of people snatching away her stuff without permission had her fuming and turning to glare daggers at Rose. If looks could kill…

"Where are my things?"

Rose looked mildly surprised, but she answered back as calmly as she could.

"Your belongings are being marked and they are deciding on some of the things you aren't allowed to have."

Winry snarled and resisted the urge to stomp her foot on the ground childishly.

"You people can't just go taking my stuff and marking on it! Those are my things!"

Winry should have known better. Her parents had told her that some of the items she had brought along would not be accepted or allowed in the treatment center. She had been stubborn and brought them along anyways. Now she was being slapped in the face with reality and rules that she would just love to bend or break.

"Winry, we need to make sure that the stuff you have is safe for you. They will bring them back very soon" Rose sighed.

Winry slumped on her bed and watched as Rose sauntered out of the room to tend to more work she had to do. Paninya was quick to slip over to the distressed blonde, holding her hand up with a grin and a wink.

"Geez Winry, you already got yourself placed in the Quiet Room on your first day. What in the world did you say to Doctor Elric to get you shoved in there? He usually doesn't do those kinds of things unless you give him a good reason. Did you punch him or something? High five!" Paninya held her breath excitedly.

Winry groaned and pushed the girl's hand away, sprawling out on the bed to stare up at the blank ceiling. In her room at home, she had her walls decorated with all sorts of vehicles and crafty new mechanical parts. Her floor was littered with screws and tools. It wasn't the kind of bedroom that many would expect a girl to have, but Winry pursued her passion regardless of what people thought of her.

"I didn't punch him. I just refused to tell him I felt safe to myself. I'm anything but a liar in most cases. I refused to talk to him and I was rude to him. So he just tossed me in the Quiet Room to relax and nap a little. A lot of help that did… I was feeling good till now. They took my stuff!" Winry growled.

"They take everybody's stuff. The gist of it is this- they don't let you have anything with strings or laces on your clothing. That includes your shoes if you decide to wear them around this place. I think everybody just prefers slippers. You don't get to keep deodorant, soap, shampoo, razors, toothpaste or makeup and etc." explained Paninya with a yawn.

Winry was horrified by what she heard. She believed her parents had told her all of this, but she had somehow pushed it out of her mind. No deodorant? No razors? Surely that was a given, but it was so hard to actually hear what she would be without. It was obvious as to why razors weren't given to patients- but makeup? Deodorant?

"Why do they take all of that away? What do they think we're gonna do? Eat it?"

Paninya laughed and threw her head back, before nodding slowly after and giving the girl a thumbs up.

"Bingo, girly. You'd be surprised what suicidal people will do. They have the creative mind to come up with a lot. In my opinion though, I think if someone really wants to commit suicide, it would be more than difficult to stop them" Paninya shrugged.

Winry wasn't sure if she agreed with that or not, so she chose to remain silent. After some time, she questioned Paninya about her concerns.

"How are we supposed to keep clean if we don't get any of that stuff?"

"They provide their own special brand of shampoo and stuff. If the patients are really well behaved for a good length of time, they can use their own. As for deodorant, you can just ask them to get it out of your patient contraband box of goodies. You have to give it back though after you're done." Paninya explained casually. "You're out of luck with makeup though. They don't hand that out to anyone for awhile if you brought some."

Winry was grateful that she was one of those girls with smooth skin and no blemishes. If she would have had any, she would be upset. It made her angry to think that the facility would take away a girl's makeup and have her go without for so long. Makeup made a lot of females feel better about themselves. How was confiscating it going to help them?

"Well all of this is just yet another reason for me to happily disagree with them. No wonder everyone in here looks so miserable."

"They have problems… Of course they look miserable."

Winry scoffed and tapped her foot impatiently on the tile beneath her. She almost longed for a clicking sound, but heard nothing from her sock covered feet.

"Yeah? Well I blame this facility. The few things that made people happy outside of these walls are now gone. What in the world does anyone have to look forward to in here when they wake up?"

Paninya formed a sheepish smile on her face.

"A shower?"

Of course this all was turning into a somewhat humorous conversation, but Winry still felt bitterness in her heart for everyone that worked in this hospital. At the moment, the hatred for a certain doctor was high up on the scale of resentment. Paninya was making it bearable to reside in this center, but the young blonde still felt terribly alone and afraid. Despite having two doctors for parents, Winry had never quite fit in with the medical field and their way of statistical thinking. Perhaps her opinion was too judgmental and cold, but she wouldn't change it. Winry would never change it until someone proved to her differently.

"I don't like morning showers. Anyways, shouldn't we head out to that group?" Winry asked quietly.

Paninya allowed a casual nod, before she moved to walk out of the room, beckoning her new roommate over with a wave of her hand.

"Yep. five minutes can't last forever. Let's go before they scold us for being late."

In this treatment center, Winry truly believed that five minutes could equal up to a year's worth if she didn't choose to stimulate her mind. But the five minutes now had slipped away without a warning. It was amazing how circumstances and situations could affect the hands of time.

The teen paused to look out the large window once more to view the real world beyond, before turning to follow Paninya out to the Day Room. She quietly wondered when she would ever be able to step out into society again. Winry had a dreading feeling that her true discharge from this place was almost out of reach for someone like her. But perhaps an escape was not…

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The group had turned out to be just as cheesy and corny as Paninya had said it would be. There were few things that were said that made Winry uncomfortable, but for the most part it had been something she was capable of handling. She hadn't allowed herself to participate in any of it, despite the constant attempts from the staff to encourage her to join in on their discussions. They wanted her to bite, but she was well aware that she was stubborn and would never sink into friendly bonds with these people so easily.

During the group, Winry had noticed that very few were happy to share their problems with a crowd of other people that had similar issues. It may seem comforting to have other people have the same problems as one's self, but to Winry, it felt awkward. Sometimes she even found herself judging who had the hardest life throughout the patients when stories were told.

One girl had attempted suicide with sleeping pills, but had obviously failed and was placed within this hospital for recovery and treatment. She had seemed so cheerful; Winry had a hard time believing that the female had any troubles in her life at all. But looks could be so deceiving…. She of all people knew that.

Another patient had driven herself here to seek free therapy, yet had gotten locked within instead. Needless to say, her parents were shocked with the phone call.

One young man was obviously very troubled. Winry was trying to figure out just what was wrong with him. He made no sense with a lot of things he would say. Sometimes he would say he was part of a gang, and other times he would joyfully speak of going to a carnival for stuffed animals.

A male patient in particular had Winry a little unsettled. The boy constantly made threats to everyone in the room. The patients were not excluded. He insisted that he was going to slaughter everyone within his grasp. He cursed and glared hatefully at everyone that dared to look at him. And here Winry thought _she_ was a pain in the rear to the staff working in the center.

There were few others that had different problems, but the ones she had noted had stuck out the most to her so far. She knew there would be more to come. But for now she had to deal with the fact that group was coming to a close and medication would be distributed shortly after. Winry wasn't dreading the medicine nearly as much as she was dreading the arrival of that annoying, young doctor. It irritated her that he chose to be around so often for his patients. Most doctors visited once in a blue moon! But Edward Elric… he was very different- so different that Winry was having trouble comprehending that his attitude was very positive compared to many other medical staff. He wasn't bland, he wasn't boring, and he wasn't humorless. These were all of the things that Winry thought were in _all_ doctors, and yet Edward had none of them! And yet she still found herself hating him.

"Hey guys! Did you all miss me? Line up for some candy!"

Winry groaned inwardly at that annoying voice. Speak of the devil…

"You all look so bummed out. Come on, it's not that bad" Edward grinned, stepping into the Day Room. "Think of Rose and me as saviors."

From behind the nurses' station in the back window, Rose hid a small smile while she prepared the medication for the teens. Once she had finished, she lined up the paper cups with the pills inside and awaited the first few in line to come along.

Edward lazily propped himself up against the nearest wall by the open window and questioned each of his patients on how their day went as they received their medicine. He had taken notice of Winry, but had said nothing to her yet.

Winry, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice him. She also couldn't help but notice that the window at the back of the nurses' station looked like some kind of drive through for fast food. Too bad that wasn't the case. There wasn't going to be any cheeseburgers and fries when she reached the front of the line. All that would be waiting for her was a cup of pills and Dr. Elric's irritating greeting.

"He sure is something, isn't he? He doesn't have to be here for the medication stuff, but he still likes to feel involved. That's dedication if you ask me. It's not like he has anybody to suck up to in this place" Paninya explained.

Winry couldn't help but huff and take a hesitant step forward as the line moved along. She didn't think he was dedicated. She thought he was annoying and frustrating. Winry was possibly being stubborn and hateful, but she had determined that places like these could do that to a person.

"I think he just likes to be different." Winry grumbled.

"And that's bad?" asked Paninya with a frown.

"Well it is to me. I think he is thriving on making me upset."

Paninya chuckled and leaned back to pat Winry on the shoulder. She apparently was trying to pity her- something the blonde didn't appreciate much, but remained silent anyways.

"Girly, you are so paranoid."

Winry ignored Paninya's words and took another step forward in the line. She noted that they were getting closer and closer to the front. Once again, time had proved to be cruel. These few minutes of waiting were purposefully speeding up again somehow. She wondered why minutes couldn't go by faster when she needed them to. In the corner of her eye, Winry glanced over at the clock ticking on the wall in the far corner. In her mind, she almost saw the minute hand speed up to force her inevitable second meeting with Edward Elric. It was then, Winry decided to curse the clock and Father Time himself.

Up ahead, Edward was watching her, his hands lazily tucked into his lab coat pockets. He had no idea what was going through Winry's mind. He wondered to himself if he really even wanted to know.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Alright guys! I am sorry that took a little long, but I'm flipping from one story to the next. I am currently working on two stories! This one and 'Edward's Wonderful World of Women and Children'. However, I am preparing to move, so things will be a bit hectic and might take longer! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Dr. Elric will be in more often soon enough! Please read and review!


	4. Planned Escape

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

Also, I realize there may be some confusion when it comes to treatment centers and asylums. I would like to stress that Winry is NOT in an asylum. An asylum includes the padded walls and such. They have far more serious cases in there. A treatment center could be considered acute.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Open your mouth, please."

Winry held back the urge to roll her eyes as she reluctantly parted her lips and did as Rose had asked her to do. She had reached the front of the line for the medication, and it was required that patients take their pills before they left the window. Winry didn't need to ask why they enforced this rule. It was painfully obvious. Suicidal people were prone to holding the pills in their mouth, if given the chance. It wouldn't be difficult to stash them and save them up for a tragic day in their near future.

"Thank you, Winry," Rose smiled, taking the paper cup back, and tossing it swiftly into the wastebasket. "Next please."

Winry was thankful she had allowed Paninya to go first with her medication. Because of this, her roommate was steadily chatting away with Edward by the wall. The two didn't seem to notice her, so she had cleverly decided to take her chances and try to slip past them. The blonde doctor couldn't just stop talking to one patient for the sole purpose to bother her- or so she thought.

Edward was busy focusing on Paninya's compliments to her medication, but his attention could easily rest on two things at once. He was a rather gifted young man, after all. He could clearly see Winry creeping away in the opposite direction, trying her luck at ducking behind the patient line, and making her escape out of the Day Room exit. The girl could be so predictable. A part of him was amused by her determination to stay away from him, and the other half was insulted. Did she really believe he wouldn't notice her trying to slink away?

"Nice to hear, Paninya. Hopefully, this will be the medicine that gets you out of here. We all know you've been staying in these places way too long," Edward grinned.

Although his golden eyes were focused on his patient infront of him, he could still see Winry moving closer and closer to the Day Room exit. It was going to be a shame he had to ruin her success, but he wasn't just going to let her slip away without speaking to him. That would ruin his active role in participating in his patients' treatment plans.

The moment the blonde teen had attempted to slither out the door; Edward's hand quickly shot out from his pocket and curled around Winry's wrist firmly. It had shocked her, needless to say. Her blue eyes widened in surprise, her head tilting up to look at the young doctor. She was met with a triumphant, exasperating grin.

"The Day Room isn't that big, Winry. An escape is highly unlikely," Edward laughed.

Winry couldn't say she was amused by this at all. This man was annoying. And he knew she thought he was annoying. All she wanted was to go back into her room and lay her head down. She wasn't eager to wallow in her sorrow, but she figured she would rather be lost in her own mind. It sure beat slipping into a baby role and allowing these people to fuss over her.

Regardless of what she had wanted to do, Winry found herself yanking out of Edward's grip violently. She narrowed her eyes at him with such anger, before gingerly placing one hand over her previously captured wrist, nursing it as though it had been burned.

"If you need to talk to me, than I suggest you just call me over. I happen to enjoy my personal space, thank you," Winry snapped.

This had shocked her though, because her words dripped with lies. She didn't dislike touches. She usually favored comfort too. Winry was never one to complain and grumble about personal space, but she found that she didn't welcome it as much anymore. She stubbornly chose to blame the treatment center for her growing flaws, although she somewhat knew it was her own fault.

Edward's grin had faded into a deep frown as he watched the girl rub at her wrist desperately. He slowly lowered his hand back to his side, sliding it carelessly into his pocket. He was having a difficult time keeping his anger in check with Winry's ongoing attitude. He had dealt with worse, but he always grew irritable when he was met with such resistance in the beginning.

"How cute, Winry. You already managed to somehow enforce and take a liking to one of the golden rules of this place," Edward said darkly. "However, I think the 'personal space' only applies to fellow patients."

Winry was taken aback by how cold the man suddenly sounded. But hadn't she deserved it? She wasn't exactly being so sweet herself. She could at least say that he had tried a few times to reason with her. It had all failed, but he had still tried. But now he was being rude, so Winry felt that she was justified in doing the same. She narrowed her blue eyes at him bravely and placed one hand firmly on her hip, giving him a threatening scowl.

"I think it applies to everyone in this place. I don't want your hands on me, so keep them away. If you want my attention, you know how to speak. You can easily just call out my name and I would come."

Edward wearily glanced around the Day Room, thankful that the other patients were moving on with their business and tending to their own problems. The only one who was actively listening was Paninya, but that couldn't be helped. He had been talking to her after all. Edward was not threatened by Winry's words, and he couldn't say his feelings were really hurt either. The girl was his patient, so he refused to allow her words to sink into his skin.

"Like a dog? Interesting… I'll keep that in mind," he mumbled dryly.

He should have known an insult like that would set Winry on fire with rage. He was out of place to be saying such things to his patients anyways. However, Edward didn't fear losing his job. That was nearly untouchable.

The young doctor watched calmly as Winry's eyes sparked with rage, her hands balling into dangerous fists. He arched a brow as she took a surprising step backward, instead of forward as he had previously anticipated. His golden eyes remained locked on her form firmly, keeping his expression dark and cold. If she wanted him to be the mean, cruel doctor she believed him to be, Edward was more than capable of doing it. She was pushing him a little too much from the beginning, and the blonde doctor just didn't think he deserved her icy attitude or piercing words.

"You egotistical prick! Don't compare me to a dog!" Winry shouted.

Stares were starting to accumulate, but Edward ignored them and kept his eyes on Winry, carefully considering her with a tilt of his head.

"You said you would come to me if I called you. Dogs do that," Edward said slowly, as if speaking to a young child.

"So do people! And I really doubt you would appreciate it if you were compared to a dog!"

"Well as a matter of fact-"

Winry had had enough. She stomped her foot down onto the tile, slightly wincing at the tingling pain that erupted up her leg from the force. To avoid making a scene was already impossible, so she didn't bother to keep her voice low or steady.

"I don't want to talk to you. I don't want your help, and I don't need your sympathy or your medication. I just want you to leave me alone and let me help myself," she hissed.

Edward slowly pulled himself up from the wall and groaned from his lack of movement. He had taken his eyes off of her for a split second to regain his balance, but the golden orbs were soon placed right back on her trembling form. He could see she was scared and irritable. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. The girl was shaking, and her voice had cracked numerous times through her words. She reminded Edward of a lost, pitiful creature.

"Whether you care for my help or not Winry, you're going to get it. Your parents placed you in this facility, and I am now responsible for treating you and giving you the medication and advice to make you better so you can actually get back into the real world," he said, his frown deepening. "But your stubbornness is not helping you in these walls, and it will only extend your stay in long term."

His last words had obviously struck a chord within the blonde teen before him. Edward could see that her whole attitude had suddenly changed. That fiery look in her eyes had so suddenly retreated, and was instead replaced with a lost, almost pained expression.

Winry found herself suddenly looking around the room to face the stares of the other patients. Were they all laughing at her? Were they all whispering about her problems and her situation? It had taken all the strength she had to force herself to look back to the young, golden eyed doctor.

"Long term?" she whispered.

Winry had expected as much, but she stubbornly clung to some hope she would be out within a week or even two. Long term stretched her stay to six months to a year.

"Your parents agreed to keep you under our watch for that length of time. It was painfully easy to see how much you hated this place, so I made the decision not to tell you earlier," Edward explained.

He had actually hinted it to her many times when they had their talk in the room before, but he hadn't flat out told her that the decision had already been made for her by her parents. How awful it must feel to have one's parents hide something so drastic and allow a stranger to bring down such lonely news.

"You're lying," Winry mumbled, chewing nervously on her bottom lip. "You're lying, because my mom and dad told me that if things didn't work out after a week or two, they would let me come home! They wouldn't just say that and turn around and do something else!"

Edward hated it when he had to explain such things to patients. Personally, he knew he would be pissed off at his parents as well if they pulled such a cheap trick on him. His parents were both no longer living, but regardless, he would feel the same.

"Would you like to see the papers?" he asked, taking a small step towards her.

Winry noticed Edward's advances to get closer, and instantly took a panicked step backward. There would be no tears for her at this time, because she felt far too angry and bitter to shed a single one. Instead, she sunk her teeth deep into her lip, letting her fingernails dig painfully into the palm of her hand. She didn't want to see any papers that held proof of her parents' hurtful decision to toss her away to these people.

"No, I don't want to see. It's obvious my problems were too much for them to handle. It was interfering with their jobs, so they decided to dump me off here. They're doctors after all, so I shouldn't be surprised!"

She didn't care if she was now the center of attention in the Day Room. She could visibly see one of the 'guards' as she now called them, making his way up to her. Did he really think she was a threat? Was it a crime to be angry and hurt when discovering your parents abandoned you in a lonely, frightening place?

Edward could easily see one of the staff members approach Winry as well. He couldn't say it truly shocked him. She wasn't being physically threatening, but there was no doubt that she was causing quite a scene. His eyes lingered on the staff member for a short time before he chose to once again focus his attention on the distressed blonde before him.

"Winry, you keep this up and you're going to be placed right back in that Quiet Room. If I'm not mistaken, you really didn't like it in there," Edward said. "I know you're not blind. You can see that man coming over here, right? You either calm down now or I'm just going to allow him to take you right back to that place with those irritating cameras."

Dr. Elric did not speak like most medical professionals. He truly believed_ his_ way helped him get through to the patients a lot more easily. He could tell that many of them within the hospital did not appreciate being treated like some baby or toddler. However, sometimes, they deserved just that. And for the most part, they brought it on themselves. Winry was one of those patients at the moment.

The blonde girl really wasn't in the mood to be bothered by staff and their obsessive need to grip at her or tell her that she needed to 'calm down'. That was impossible at the moment! Winry was a human being, and when people were angry and upset, it proved more than a little difficult to just wash away their anger.

But despite her thinking process, Winry attempted to do just as Dr. Elric had asked her. She took in a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She was determined to have a clearer mind by the time she counted back from ten. It had worked a lot in the past after all, and she trusted it to work again.

Edward watched her with mild surprise. The girl was actually listening to his advice for once. His body slumped back against the wall, while he continued to keep his hands nestled in his pockets. He could only guess that she was attempting to reason with herself. It was either that, or counting silently in the back of her head. In all honesty, Edward couldn't ever see how something so simple worked. It had never done miracles for him when he was in a rage. He had even attempted to count and curse in his mind after every number. The F bomb was his favorite for that particular exercise.

By the time the man had reached Winry to correct her behavior, the girl was finished with her soothing countdown. It hadn't done much, but it had done just enough for her to stay relaxed to finish off her conversation with the blonde doctor. She chose to simply ignore the one who had approached her from the side.

"You think about this, Dr Elric. Be sure to tell all of your fellow medical buddies, alright?"

Now this was interesting. Edward couldn't help but arch a curious brow and continue to stare. What could she possibly come up with next?

"When a patient aims to go rest and relax after a long day of confusion and irritation; it's best to just let them. Its amazing how most of you still scratch your heads in wonder on why people like me try to escape from here so often." Winry huffed, turning to head out of the Day Room. "Now I'm going back to my room. I don't want to talk about my feelings and I don't want to act like everything is okay. I just wanna be left alone for a little while."

Edward took this time to feel insulted and rather angry, while storing the nugget of information in his head about Winry's mention of an indirect but probable escape. He was feeling more than irritated with the pesky girl. She rejected everything and apparently was the 'Queen of Sarcasm' in some unknown country. It was giving him a horrible headache and he was starting to think that perhaps she was more trouble than she was worth. It was a terrible way to think for a doctor, but he didn't care.

The moment Winry had stomped off into her room; the staff member was preparing to go hot on her trail. Edward had had at least enough decency to stop him with a raise of his hand. He didn't look pleased at all, and was wearing a rather permanent glare on his face.

"No. Leave her alone. Keep an eye on her though, please. She's still on suicide watch." Edward muttered with a slight growl of annoyance.

He had to do something about her. Winry was a fireball, and she was asking for a bumpy ride if she continued to behave this way. But if that was what would suit her, then perhaps it was best he let her learn the hard way. It didn't matter anyways, since she really had more than enough time to adjust now. Six months or longer in this place forced one to learn. Winry would be no different. Edward was certain of that.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Winry had stayed silent for the remainder of the day after her 'time out' in her room. She only spoke to Paninya and stayed clear from Edward whenever she possibly could. As far as she could tell though, the blonde doctor didn't seem interested in talking to her at all. In fact, he hadn't really looked at her even once. Instead, he roamed around and spoke with his other patients. Winry wasn't sure whether she should feel relieved or upset. She had pushed him away after all. It was stupid to suddenly want his company after firmly stating that she didn't want nor need his help. Even still, she believed he would come up to her sooner or later within the day.

By the time the evening had arrived and Winry was tucked under her covers, she was surprised to find that Dr. Elric still hadn't come snooping around. Maybe he had finally gotten the hint? Maybe she finally got him to understand that she was more than capable of fixing herself?

'Who cares? It's better that way tonight anyways,' she thought mildly.

Instead of keeping her thoughts focused on Edward, she instead found herself eyeing the blinking alarm in the middle of the room. She didn't dare reach out to wave a hand infront of it. That would only cause those annoying nurses to come flocking inside. She sure didn't need that.

"Hey Paninya?" Winry whispered.

There was a shuffle of blankets and a slight yawn, before her roommate answered back.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

Winry almost considered not answering back at all. But she had been wondering about this the whole day. Ever since she learned she had been placed in long term treatment, the thoughts and urges had been far stronger. She didn't feel guilty for her wants either.

"Did you ever want to… escape from these places?" she paused and pulled the thin blanket more comfortably around her. "You've been to treatment centers a lot, right? You ever tried to leave one before you were discharged?"

Paninya turned her body to face Winry on the opposite side of the bed. The faint light from outside the room spilled onto her dark form and lit up her face. Her eyes traveled to the cracked door before she put on a smirk and nodded her head.

"Girly, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were up to something. And that something would be 'escaping' and heading off," Paninya laughed.

Winry stayed silent and waited for the answer to her question. It was important to her after all. Surely her roommate had tried something of the sort. Paninya didn't seem the type that stayed docile and sweet through an entire hospital visit such as this.

"Anyways, of course I have. I mainly did it though for the injection. I never expected to get far."

"Injection?" Winry tilted her head.

"Well, yeah. You see, when you try to escape, people chase after you obviously. It's pretty hard to make it out of the building, but I managed once or twice. I never got too far, but I was proud."

Apparently escape was difficult. Winry would have to be careful when she tried. She didn't care to make any stupid mistakes. She was going to get out and she was never going to turn back.

"Anyways, when they catch you, they hold you down until you start to relax. If you don't, you get put in mechanical restraints. Catch my drift? A lot of times, they inject you though before that happens." Paninya smiled. "God, that stuff feels nice. It feels like you're walking on clouds and floating in honey or something."

Winry could smack the girl in the other bed. She was glad it was dark, because she couldn't hide the deep frown on her face.

"You only escape so you can get drugged up?" Winry grumbled. How lame.

"Winry, you have no idea. It feels great. Although my parents told the people here about my addiction and they found alternatives in the end."

The blonde one wasn't seeking some hyped up drug as a consequence to an escape. She just wanted to get out…period. She didn't see how someone could go through all that trouble for something so small anyways. But apparently if Paninya had an addiction, it wasn't exactly a small deal for her. Just like Winry's whole reason for being here wasn't small.

"Well I'm not interested in drugs, Paninya. I just wanted to know if there is an easy way to get out of here. I thought someone like you would actually know," she shrugged.

Paninya chuckled from under her blanket and pointed with one finger to the alarm, shaking her head.

"That makes it difficult at night. Although most would think it would be easiest to escape at this time; that thing over there would end it quickly." Paninya said. "But to be honest, there is no easy way out. But if you are willing to try your luck, I'd go for the daytime. Maybe during our lunch or dinner. Breakfast is too early and there's too much commotion with the patients."

Now that was a confusing idea. Why would someone try to escape during those times? Wasn't those the most active times in the day? Winry couldn't understand how it would be easier to try her luck on an escape around the afternoon or evening.

"You're not getting it, are ya?"

Winry slowly shook her head.

"Well, when we're escorted to lunch and dinner, we go to the cafeteria, right?"

The blonde was getting impatient. She nodded and balled her fists up in her blue blanket.

"Well that's when we're out of the unit, girly. The cafeteria isn't in here, remember? And I'd sure like to know how most plan to get out at night when everything is locked. At least you have a fighting chance when you're out in one of the hospital halls."

Winry had only been here for a day, but she had already begun to memorize the place. It wasn't something she could easily forget anyhow. And because of her mental notes on the place, she couldn't help but question one last thing.

"But there's locked doors out in the halls too, right? Don't those lead to the exit? How do you get by them?"

Paninya pushed her head back into her pillow and stretched herself out lazily in her small bed. She went quiet for a moment as a nurse walked by their room, but snickered the moment the woman was gone.

"You know, that's the part where you just have to be lucky and hope that someone is just opening the doors at that time. If not… you just run into a dead end and hope for better chances next round."

What a drag that was going to be. Winry had been hoping for a guaranteed way of getting out of this medical prison. Now she was hearing that her chances rested on luck alone. That or major 'Kung Fu' skills on the staff in order to get the keys. She now cursed herself for always refusing to take self defense classes in the past. They would have proved handy now. Especially on that Dr. Elric…

"Perfect…" Winry groaned.

"Winry Rockbell, are you seriously aiming to escape after being in here for just one day?" Paninya questioned with a small laugh.

"I'm going to be in here for six months to a year. I think that justifies my reasons for wanting to leave."

"Can't argue with you there. You need any help by any chance? I haven't tried for awhile now. It's challenging. But this is like the third hospital I've been in. Eight months so far… I could use a good exercise."

Winry was about ready to scold Paninya for her easygoing attitude on escape, but had paused at the sudden sound of footsteps down the hall. Her trusty roommate had informed her earlier that day that the staff made rounds every half hour to check in on the patients and make sure nothing out of the ordinary was going on. It usually resulted in getting a flashlight shined in your face too if you happened to be one of the unfortunate people who were awake at the time. Apparently, it happened to Paninya a lot in the past.

"Shh. Here come the guards." Winry whispered, sliding her eyes halfway shut.

It was already looking bad for her so far with her current behavior; she didn't need to be caught planning an escape too.

Down the hallway, Edward walked alongside a chatty evening caretaker. It had been thirty minutes passed, and the man was going up and down the halls, shining a bright beam of light into the patients' rooms on and off. In his mind, the young doctor wondered how the poor teens actually got their beauty rest. But to be truthful, he himself could sleep through a tornado. It was the light sleepers he felt bad for. Who deserved to have a light flashed in their face during late hours of the night?

"And to think she's only three years old, Ed! I'll show you a picture when I'm finished with my rounds."

Edward couldn't help but try to desperately tune the man's voice out of his head. All he ever went on about was his young daughter and her 'cuteness'. God forbid she ever got sick during the cold months. Dr. Elric got about five to six voice messages on his phone during those times, claiming that the man's little girl was deathly ill and needed immediate attention from a professional. Truth be told, the young one usually only had a mild cold, but Edward couldn't ever tell her stubborn father.

"I'll bet if I bring Elysia in here, things would change. She's one of those natural healers. Don't you think?"

Edward and the chatty man had soon arrived at the next room; both peering in to see if all was well. The flashlight was instantly flipped on and the beam traveled around the room quickly and quietly. As far as one could see, both girls were motionless and silent. The light hovered over Paninya for a split second, before it shifted over to the sleeping Winry.

'Sleeping my ass… I just heard one of them giggling a few minutes ago.' Edward thought darkly.

Winry's slight flinch revealed all in the long run anyways. Edward had always proved to be observant, so he noticed her faint movement almost instantly. Her eyes had even opened! He was inclined to leave the two in the shadows and allow them to continue their late night girl talk, but in the end he had decided differently.

"Paninya… Winry," he called out lightly.

As he expected, neither of them moved. Not that it mattered whether they responded to him or not.

"It's getting late. You two can continue your hilarious comedy show tomorrow. For now… go to bed."

Although the flashlight was now off of both the patients inside, Edward swore he detected a death glare coming from Winry in her bed. Visibly, he couldn't see her in the dark, but he knew she was most likely cursing and wishing all sorts of unpleasant things on him.

Despite the burning hatred he felt emanating from the room; Edward turned away from it and continued his walk with the man beside him. He knew Winry had not been expecting to see him this late at night. Hell, he hadn't even expected to see himself here either at this time. Which was exactly why he fully intended on heading home after the walkthrough of the patients was completed.

In the end, Edward found that all of the adolescents were sleeping soundly and no trouble was stirring within any of the rooms. All except the one that held Winry and Paninya. It's not that it surprised him that they were the only two that were actually awake, but he found he really didn't trust them too much. He didn't trust Paninya for good reason, and Winry was so easily turning into the girl's trusty sidekick.

"Those two give me a headache. I'm going home," Edward muttered, ignoring the chattering man's questioning stare.

This had been the fifth headache he had had for the day. He fully blamed the little blonde fireball that was currently fake sleeping in the room. Paninya had given him mini headaches through the week, and now they were growing in size from the girl's hot headed apprentice.

'Why do I get all the winners?' he thought miserably.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Inside the hospital room, Winry was fuming. She had been hoping to not have to see that annoying man. Those hopes all had been shattered when he had appeared so suddenly in the doorway with the guard and the flashlight. The man had called out to them- scolded them and told them to go to sleep. His mere presence was now starting to make her sick to her stomach.

"That's one thing I'll be grateful for when I get out. I won't have to see him anymore," she hissed.

Paninya rolled over in her bed and sighed heavily with an amused smile.

"Well that's good. Because you'll be seeing him plenty when we try to escape, girly. And let me tell you, Dr. Elric is one hell of a runner. Caught me every single time on all my attempted escapes in this place."

Winry stayed silent for the rest of the night. She wasn't sure if she felt angry or just confused by Paninya's depressing news. How could a single doctor cause her so much trouble? They were supposed to just prescribe medicine… not chase down runaways. That wasn't in their job description!

The blonde rubbed at her forehead and glanced wearily at the large window in the room.

'I'm getting a headache.'

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Alright guys, like I said. The updates are slow and unfortunately… I'm having some major issues over here. Issues as in this story might be becoming a reality… again! But I'll be back! If I'm not around by Christmas… then… Merry Christmas! Same goes with my other story… but if I can get away with it, I'll update that again before the holiday hits! Please read and review! And thank you for all your support on this story!


	5. The Triggered Escape

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"We're gonna escape today!"

Winry rolled her eyes and hushed her lively roommate. They had both agreed on attempting an escape, but it was obvious on who felt more cheerful and light spirited about the plan.

"We're not going to get anywhere if you keep going around singing about it!" Winry snapped.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud. Let me have my fun."

"There isn't going to be any fun… You're announcing it and you're making a scene." Winry crossed her arms.

Paninya poked her tongue out teasingly and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"You sound like a mother hen, Winry. We're in our room for god's sake. Everyone is at the nurse's station after all. And the patients sure won't care. Don't be dramatic. Just go take your shower before we end up missing breakfast."

Winry figured she had two options. She could continue to scold Paninya endlessly with no results, or she could soak away in her awaiting shower. She easily chose the latter. She rubbed at her temples gingerly as she strode past her roommate with an exasperated sigh. Winry liked Paninya; she really did. She felt they could even be good friends when this was all over. However, her roommate could be so hyperactive sometimes and so reckless. Not that she wasn't on the perky side herself, but they needed to be discreet about their little plan. Skipping around and announcing it to all was just silly. It was obvious that Paninya felt differently- that or she just didn't care. The girl was an oddball, so Winry couldn't determine her reasoning.

"Yeah… I'll be in the shower. Just keep it down, okay?"

Paninya shrugged her shoulders and flopped back on her bed.

"Whatever."

"Thank you." Winry huffed, grabbing her towel and day clothes from one of the small dresser drawers. The moment she stepped into the bathroom, her frustration with Paninya faded away, and in turn, her thoughts shifted to other things; a number of things. She worried about her upcoming escape. She brooded about her reasons for being where she was. And she also found she had pesky returning thoughts of the annoying Dr. Elric. Winry cursed herself for even bringing the young man into her mind. Edward Elric was an irritating person, and he seemingly bothered her on purpose. Why his goofy grinning face was flashing before her eyes, she had no idea.

"I can't even take a shower in peace. He's not even here and he's still bothering me." Winry fumbled around with her pale yellow pajamas. It took her forever to undo her buttons, but she eventually managed. Once she had removed her clothes, she took a long look at herself in the small water spotted mirror. Winry saw that she had a gorgeous body, but she didn't take a liking to it. She could even admit that she severely disliked herself. Her blue eyes traveled up and down her flawless form with distaste. Many girls her age would flaunt and engulf themselves in their reflection, but she instantly averted her gaze elsewhere and slid past the thin shower curtain, turning the handle of the shower to let the hot water blanket her weary body.

Winry was reluctant to get her hair wet. Although she wasn't thrilled with her appearance, she still had enough decency inside of her to take care of her rich, blonde hair. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to do so in this facility.

"If they would just give me my own shampoo and conditioner, I wouldn't care about getting my hair wet."

All that was given to her was a bland body wash that somehow acted as a shampoo as well. It smelled okay, but it didn't compare to Winry's own bathing products.

She shook the bottle up after some time and evenly squirted the pink liquid onto her hands. The moment they began to wander over her body, Winry allowed her eyes to close and her mind to wander yet again.

She was frightened of this hospital. She didn't know how the escape would go. She wasn't even sure she had the courage to go through with it.

"This isn't the place for me. I'm sure of it."

Her tone did not agree with her. A small part of her believed that this could be the answer. These doctors could possibly save her from herself.

Winry's head tilted back to finally allow the water to spill through her locks of hair. She wouldn't deny the fact that it felt good. If not for good hygiene, than possibly for therapeutic reasons. However, it also had its downside. It forced her to remember. It made her recall every reason she was within this place. She had so many reasons and she didn't want to think of any of them- but regardless of her wants, they were still there.

"Winry, you drowning in there?! Come on girly, we get breakfast! Pancakes today!"

Paninya's voice crashed through her mind and her thoughts came to an immediate stop. The screaming… the shouting… the panic.

The people within this hospital had promised her that she would get better with time. However, with her personal problems attacking randomly, she wasn't so sure.

"I'm coming! Gimme a second!" Winry shouted, sifting the pink liquid through her blonde locks. She was thankful she had straight hair; else she probably would have left it dry. Combing through curly hair with this 'shampoo' would have been a nightmare. She secretly wondered how Paninya kept up her own.

Once she rinsed the pink shampoo/body wash from her trembling form, Winry slid the shower handle sideways till the water came to a stop. She stood where she was for a moment longer before stepping out to prepare herself for breakfast.

The said breakfast had gone somewhat smoothly. Winry had been late, so she and Paninya had gotten trapped behind a rather slow patient. Neither of the girls could blame the poor man, but it caused quite a delay. Winry also noticed an uncomfortable gathering of the doctors at one table. In the middle, she could see a Dr. Elric carelessly shoveling food into his mouth. It really bothered her, but Edward didn't seem to take any notice of her. He was too busy listening to his colleagues and concentrating finishing his breakfast.

"Seriously, how gross. For a doctor, he sure eats like a pig," Winry grumbled to Paninya behind her.

"I've told you already. Dr. Elric is definitely not your average medical professional."

"You make it sound so positive."

"Well it is in some ways. Would you rather have one of the old guys at the table with him as your doctor?"

"Maybe…"

Paninya arched a brow and took an eager step forward in the line.

"I find that hard to believe. He's intelligent, cute, grumpy, and young. I don't mind him as my doctor."

"You're shameless, you know that?"

"Yep."

Winry sighed and allowed her shoulders to slump. Paninya confused her at times, but she found herself thinking that her roommate had a point. Edward _was_ an eye catcher. He had nice blonde hair like herself, but only with a deeper, richer color. She also never failed to notice his stunning golden eyes.

"So he's kinda handsome… Doesn't mean I want him for a doctor. He's too inexperienced at his age."

"Girly, please… Age has nothing to do with intelligence. Just admit it. The man's a genius," Paninya sang.

Winry puffed out her cheeks and took another step forward.

"A man?"

"Fine. A young man… is that better?"

The conversation came to a halt as the two reached the front of the line and made off with their order.

After they had finished their meal, they chatted away at their table as the other patients finished off their own breakfast. Unfortunately for Winry, Edward was on the move, flying through conversations with all of his patients, getting ever so closer to the two of them.

"Geez, look who's coming," Winry hissed.

Paninya rocked back in her chair, looking over her shoulder, forming a grin. Winry noted that Paninya didn't look unhappy at all, but appeared to beam with happiness as Dr. Elric got closer.

"Do you have some freakish crush on him?" she questioned.

"Nah, I just like to annoy him. But I'll probably end up asking you the same question later on."

"We won't be here later on. We're leaving tonight, remember?"

Paninya shook a finger at Winry with a small wink.

"Ah ah, we're going to_ try_ to leave. There's no 100% success rate. Not with Dr. Elric around anyways. And you never denied the developing crush."

Winry fumed and bit into her tongue. She worked hard on keeping herself from strangling her roommate. She found she had to do this often.

"A crush? On that annoying, egotistical-"

"Ladies… Am I interrupting?"

The voice had sounded so calm, but dripped with dry humor. Edward slid into the nearest seat at the girls table, yanking off his lab coat and draping it over his chair.

"Oh my, look who's 'blessing' us with his presence," Winry scoffed, twirling her plastic fork.

"How unlike you Dr. Elric; being so sweet and calling us ladies," Paninya teased.

Edward shrugged carelessly and directed his golden eyes on Winry across from him.

"Sorry. You prefer 'brats'?"

Paninya found this funny, but Winry took it as another obvious insult. Doctors were all on her bad side, but Edward was at the top of her list in aggravation. In her opinion, he needed to be fired, but she had clearly remembered him talking about his job as untouchable.

"What do you want? Go back to your own group at your table. There wasn't an invitation here."

"No, but I'm doing my regular routine of checking on my patients. Is that a crime?"

Winry sat upright in her chair and avoided Edward's gaze. Instead, she found herself staring at the supposedly sexually frustrated female patient across the dining room. She was happily munching on a muffin, ignoring the crumbs that were scattering about on her table.

"No, but you're obviously not wanted here," Winry grumbled.

"Getting to be as cold as ice, aren't you?" Edward sighed.

"You're the main cause. Feel special."

Dr. Elric chose to once again ignore Winry's feisty attitude. He was itching to argue back with her, but he had other important things to do.

"Let me make a point for you Winry," Edward frowned, leaning forward in his seat. Winry had to admit that she was curious. Not that his 'point' would be educational, but she was reasonably interested in finding out just what he felt was important for her to learn.

"What? You mean the reason you snoop around your patients' tables during their meals? Go right ahead and try," she mumbled.

A part of her wished that she didn't even allow him the chance to prove his reasons, but she knew she had already opened up room for his explanation, and he was quick to show her. Edward took in a tired breath of air as he partially removed himself from his seat, leaning over to wrap one of his hands around Paninya's wrist. With a knowing look planted on his face, he slid back the girl's sleeves and let his golden eyes stare down at fresh cuts along Paninya's arm, along with old scars that traveled far up her cocoa brown skin.

"Here's my point. You see what things I need to look out for? Now tell me this isn't an important thing to note and tell the nurses to repair. Since I know these things just by looks and small gestures, I find it necessary to catch the ones who obviously enjoy inflicting damage on themselves. I'm hoping you won't follow her example and do the same thing."

Winry couldn't say that she was really expecting such a thing. She knew that her roommate was some sort of drug addict, but she had never really pegged her as a person who would purposefully hurt herself. She knew that in the past she had had thoughts of doing the same, although she never found she had the courage to really allow anything sharp to fall upon her skin. Presently, Winry wondered if she was capable of doing so within this place. If she was, it was obvious that Edward would find out. It didn't even strike her that she was still supposedly going to attempt her escape for the night. Her thoughts stubbornly rested on what would happen if she performed poorly within this facility instead. Would she be treated decently if she tried to cooperate, or would the staff look at her as just another person who just needed to be shot up with medication?

"Come on doc, it was on impulse. No big deal or anything. I barely feel a thing," Paninya said, attempting to pull her wrist from Edward's gentle but firm grip.

"I doubt that, Paninya. You know you force me to speak to the nurses about this. Then you act surprised when I put you on a one on one with the staff," he said with slight annoyance in his tone. His eyes still stubbornly kept their attention on Winry to gain insight on her reaction. He hadn't heard her speak a word so far.

"You have no idea what it feels like to have someone's eyes on you for a long period of time, doc. It makes me uncomfortable."

Winry knew what it felt like. She currently was having an uneasy staring contest with Edward. It upset her, but she didn't know what to say to him.

"Then I suggest you stop doing this. I wouldn't have to do what I do then," Edward explained slowly, releasing her wrist. "You know you're not acting as a very good influence to Winry here. Don't make me arrange to have you girls separated."

Paninya smirked and tugged her arm back, hastily covering her scarred skin.

"You're just a party crasher. You're just sore about last night. You know us girls like to chat."

"A hospital is hardly the place to do so- especially at the late hours. There _are_ other patients, you know?"

"That's interesting. I heard the adult units have far more flexibility than we do. They get to stay up, watch television at the late hours and everything," Winry interrupted, glaring daggers at Edward across from her. Dr. Elric was more than a little surprised to hear his new patient jump in so soon. She seemingly had nothing to say about his little 'point' earlier. He couldn't help but feel triumphant, despite how childish it seemed.

"Oh, hey! Yeah, see? Winry knows what she's talking about there. How come we don't get to stay up and watch television in the late hours and talk?" Paninya questioned slyly.

The girls really were making things easy for him. He grinned and sat back in his chair, chuckling to himself.

"I could just be blunt and say that you two aren't adults, so it's obvious why you don't get that luxury. But I'm a doctor so I'll humor you both. I'm sure you've heard that teenagers need more resting time than their elders, hmm? That's what studies show," Edward explained.

"You aren't an adult either, yet you're up and about looking in on all of us and telling us to go to sleep?" Winry countered.

"I'm a doctor. We rarely get the amount of sleep we're supposed to get unfortunately. It comes with the job description."

"You do things outside of your job description, so why can't you toss in something like 'more sleep' onto your list? It'll save us from being bothered by you in the near future," Winry snapped irritably.

"I'd love to actually- you have no idea how much I love to sleep away the days. But I promised myself I would keep a closer eye on certain patients. I always have a hunch about certain things, and a lot of times I'm right. I just proved that to both of you today," Edward said, standing and pulling his lab coat up with him. "Let's just say I have another hunch about something. We'll see if I'm right very soon."

Winry wasn't sure what he meant by that, and it definitely bothered her. Did it mean that he knew of their plans to try and leave the facility that night? Or maybe it was something else?

"Oh? Well why don't you just spill and tell us what that hunch is?" Winry growled, looking up at him with serious, blue eyes.

Edward laughed out loud as he slid his coat back onto his well built form, moving away from the table.

"If I told you, it would ruin the thrill of seeing if I'm right or wrong. But I will admit that I just love being right."

Paninya shrugged her shoulders and winked up at the young doctor with a lopsided smile.

"Guess we'll find out soon, huh doc?"

Dr. Elric's eyes had temporarily moved away from Winry to rest on her roommate, but it didn't take long till his attention was back on the feisty blonde. It gave her chills up her entire body, but her stubbornness forced her to stare back at him with a deep frown planted on her face.

"I guess we will," he whispered, reluctantly choosing to move fully away from the table and rejoin his fellow colleagues, waving a lazy hand to the two girls in a slow farewell.

Winry chose to stare a little longer at the young man, before she moved on to scolding her silly roommate at the table. Paninya had so clearly challenged Dr. Elric for the upcoming night. It would have been best to not have to deal with Edward at all, considering what she had heard about him.

"What the hell was that about, Paninya?!" Winry yelped, resisting the urge to slam her fist onto the table.

"Hmm? What was what about?"

"Don't act stupid. You basically just told him what we're going to do tonight. You know that I don't want to deal with him chasing after us down the halls!" she hissed.

"I did not tell him. I didn't say 'Dr. Elric, we're going to try and outsmart you and run away tonight,' did I?"

"You might as well have done that. And now to make things worse, you sliced up your arm! We'll never get out at this rate."

Paninya removed herself from her seat and waved a dismissive hand at Winry, shaking her head.

"Oh come on, you know we'll do just fine. Besides, like I said before; it's not guaranteed that we're gonna escape anyways. It's still going to be fun to try though."

It was easy to see why Paninya gave Dr. Elric so many headaches in the past. Winry felt a throbbing pain at her forehead, gingerly rubbing at it and breathing out a weary sigh. She was beginning to wonder why she even had allowed her roommate to tag along with her in the first place. Staying silent, she helped herself out of her chair and walked past Paninya, heading for the exit of the dining room along with the other patients. It was so early in the day, but she so suddenly felt the need to take a nice, long nap.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

You're a fine example to us all, Edward."

Dr. Elric sat himself down among the elderly men at his table and shrugged with a small grin. He honestly never cared much for sitting with a bunch of stuffy old men, but it was where the doctors ate their meals, so what real choice did he have? Sure, there were some younger like himself, but they were all geeks in his opinion.

"Nah, I just get restless. I don't like to sit in one place for too long. Kinda helps to talk to the patients. Besides, you'd be surprised guys. Some of them really don't appreciate me pushing my way into their personal lives," Edward explained, thinking of a certain blonde female.

"Well, sometimes you know we have to do a lot of things our patients don't really like too much. But it's really for their own good," a middle aged man choked out, sipping eagerly at his water.

Edward nodded slowly, looking down at the table, licking his tongue over his dry lips.

"That's true. I think I'm gonna have to do something like that again tonight. But like you said, it's for their own good, right?" Of course he was met with a collective, positive agreement from every medical professional at the table. It almost annoyed him, but he found himself chuckling bitterly, leaning back to relax himself. In the corner of his eyes, he could see Winry and Paninya heading off back to the adolescent unit. He had no idea why, but he found that he was looking more at his new patient than the one who he had targeted earlier for cutting. Perhaps it was because she reminded him so much of himself? She was snappy, rude, and grumpy. That described him pretty well when he was off the job, didn't it?

"What's that? Increasing a dosage?" another asked with mild curiosity.

"Oh, I wish it was something small like that. Let's just say that I'll get some exercise tonight," Edward muttered.

He knew that the other doctors wouldn't have a clue what he meant, but he wasn't going to spell it out for them. It was none of their business anyways. It wasn't like any of them would ever do the kinds of things that he did. This would be one of them, so they really didn't deserve an explanation. Instead, he continued to watch Winry leave from the dining room, a long sigh escaping from his lips.

"I've never lost yet, and I don't plan to now," he whispered.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The night couldn't come fast enough for either Winry or Paninya. However, they both had very different reasons. Paninya just wanted to hurry and start up the 'fun', but Winry genuinely wanted to leave and get as far away as possible. Unfortunately, the afternoon slid by disgustingly slow. Both of the girls had tried to immerse themselves in other things, but it just didn't work out like they wanted.

Halfway through the day, one of the patients within the unit began to display strange behavior, pacing back and forth down the halls and mumbling to himself about heaven, hell, and the many demons that 'inhabited' the planet. Another couldn't stop sobbing about their Father planning on getting rid of a puppy they had at home. Winry found herself trying to console the poor girl for hours, while the patient continuously played solitaire at a table in the Day Room. Paninya expectantly followed the other patient and curiously asked him questions about the demons and his explanation on many other things. Winry wasn't sure if her roommate was honestly concerned or was rudely trying to amuse herself. At least she could admit that she was trying to do some good for at least one fellow patient before her escape.

By the time the sun dipped down, Winry was restless and was becoming a flustered, nervous wreck. Paninya had to repetitively grab the distressed blonde and sit her down on her bed and reassure her.

"Girly, you really need to just relax or something. If I said that our escape wasn't guaranteed earlier, it's really not going to happen if you stay like this," she laughed.

Winry gripped at the pillow on her bed and allowed her eyes to roam out the window, watching the cars fly by on the nearby street. She had no idea how her roommate could be so calm at a time like this. It wasn't exactly a bad thing, but she just didn't see how it was possible.

"How in the world am I supposed to relax? The nurses are checking in here every ten minutes to just look at you, and you hinted to Dr. Elric on this whole thing. Of course I'm going to be a little jumpy," Winry whined, sprawling out over her bed.

"A little? You look like you're about to have a seizure or panic attack. Am I going to have to hold your hand while we run down those halls?"

"Very funny…"

"Hey, I might just have to do that. You're looking a little pale," Paninya pointed out.

Winry curled her body inward and groaned.

"This is my very first try at an escape. You expect me to be easy going and high spirited?"

"It sure beats being frazzled, shaken up, and sickly," Paninya sang out, waving to a nurse that had so suddenly poked her head into the room. In almost an instant she was gone again.

"Well excuse me for being normal," Winry huffed.

"Mnhh you're excused."

As the hours ticked by, Winry continued to pace the room, while Paninya chose to pester the nurses that were unlucky enough to have to check on her. The two had both decided on a time to execute their plan. Not that it really was much of a plan to begin with. The girls were both going to wait for dinner to roll by, and once outside of the unit, they would just make a run for it and hope for the best.

"You know, I'm really sacrificing a good dinner tonight for you, girly," Paninya teased, leaning in the doorway of their room, scanning over every person that passed by.

"Oh, please. The stuff for dinner resembles something you would feed your dog every day or something. Don't tell me you actually like that stuff," Winry sat up from the bed and wrinkled her nose at the very thought of 'dinner'.

"Hey, it's not so bad sometimes. It looks gross, but it really tastes great on occasion."

"I don't understand you."

"That's what my parents always said," Paninya laughed.

Winry was curious to know just where her roommate's parents were, but she was interrupted with one of the staff members poking their head in to announce that dinner was ready and they would be leaving the unit shortly. It shook her up, but this had been what she had been waiting for all day. Her legs felt like rubber, but she would fight to run as fast as she possibly could once they were outside of the unit. She prayed one of the doors would be open. If not, this whole escape plan would quickly go down the drain.

"You ready for this, Win?" Paninya smirked and glanced eagerly back at the jittery blonde.

"Not really, but I'm going for it."

"That's the spirit!"

The two girls stepped out of the room together and followed after the other patients that were slowly lining up by the door, all of them waiting to be escorted to the dining room so they could eat and somewhat satisfy their appetite. Winry could see two of the staff members step so calmly over to the doors. Neither of them seemed to even take a second look at her, which was good news in her book. She was sweating nervously, and her fingers were fumbling together. She was sure that her heart was in overdrive too. She could feel it beating so quickly, and she could hear her breathing start up.

However, once the doors had so suddenly opened, Winry found herself stopped before she could even start. All too soon, her body locked up as she watched the patients step aside from the door to allow a raven haired man to step through. He was carrying a mess of folders, maneuvering through the teens around him, making his way past them all and directing his destination to the nurses' station behind them. His eyes were dark and narrow, and his lips were curved into a confident smile. The moment his voice reached her ears, she felt the color drain from her face. As he got closer to her, Winry's breathing hitched and her eyes widened, choking back on a surprised gasp.

'_No… He's not supposed to be here. He's not supposed to be here!'_

Winry found her mind was stuck like a broken record, repeating the same thing inside over and over again. It was impossible for the man to be within this hospital. Out of all of the medical facilities, what were the chances that he would be within this one, stepping into the adolescent unit that she was housed in?

"Hey, Winry… Come on, girly. We gotta get out of the unit first, remember?" Paninya tugged lightly on Winry's shaky hands, curious as to why her blonde roommate was so stubbornly staying locked in one spot. While she pulled at her with a bit more force, she waved her free hand at the man that was getting closer to the two girls at the end of the chaotic line of patients.

"Hey, Mr. Director! What are you doing here? You going to join us for dinner?" Paninya questioned, smiling brightly. She was met with a soft chuckle and a light shake of the head from the tall man. His eyes jutted to Winry for a brief moment, but instantly trailed back to Paninya with ease.

"I'm afraid not tonight. I just came to drop off a few documents. Maybe another night, hmm? I have to be invited first, don't I?" he laughed, readjusting the folders in both hands.

"Well you're invited, so come with us? You can sit with the crazies tonight, huh Win?" Paninya tugged on her now trembling roommate once more. The man finally turned his head to look at the blonde and formed his smirk into a soft smile, shrugging his shoulders.

"I think your friend is a little uneasy about the idea," he pointed out calmly, stopping before the two.

"Ah, she's just shy. You're the director after all and everything. She's not easy going like myself," Paninya mumbled, shoving Winry with one elbow, keeping the calm expression on her face.

"Is that so? Well maybe a good talk with her would change her mind. What's her name? She looks new."

"She is… Her name is Winry Rockbell."

The dark haired man arched a brow and took another easy step forward, ignoring Winry's obvious discomfort.

"Rockbell? I believe I know her parents then… Your parents are doctors, am I right?" his question was so obviously directed at the blonde before him as he placed his attention fully on her shaken up form.

Winry hadn't heard any of the conversation unfortunately. Instead, she found herself sinking into a panic attack- a moment where her vision was blurred and her hearing was muffled. All she could think of was getting away from this man. And throughout these terrifying minutes, she had been trying to get her legs to move, but found that they stubbornly stayed still, reducing themselves to nothing more than shaky muscles that were shot out of fear.

'_He can't be here. I don't want him here.'_

Eventually, Winry found the movement in her legs and hastily pushed the man out of her line of vision, shoving him violently to one side, and bolting out of the unit, not caring whether Paninya followed after or not. Her body was aching to just stop and curl into a protective ball, but her mind would not allow that. It screamed at her to keep running. She didn't dare look back and she didn't dare slow down. Winry didn't have a clue as to where she was going, and she really didn't care. She just wanted to get far away from the man. Very far away…Her fear drove her to run faster, pushing past any that even dared to move in her way. It didn't help that she could barely see anything infront of her. Her eyes were being blinded by unwilling tears that were building up and spilling down her cheeks.

Fortunately, the doors that she had earlier hoped would be open were being unlocked from the other side and being pushed forward, allowing her the access she needed to get out of the hospital once and for all. That door led to the waiting room after all, and after that it would lead her to the exit. Behind her, she could hear a familiar voice, but she didn't have the courage to turn and confirm that it was most likely her roommate following along. Instead, she forcefully pushed the door aside and unknowingly knocked Farrah at the front desk over onto the floor. If she had been in a clearer state of mind, she would have applauded herself for her actions, considering that she really had disliked the woman from the very beginning when she was brought into this place.

Once she was past the large door, her blue eyes searched the waiting room frantically for the exit. This wasn't about just escaping the hospital anymore because she simply disliked it; Winry needed to get away from the man that was within the walls. She couldn't be near him! The very sight of him had her stomach turning and made her body feel clammy and uncomfortably warm. She even felt dangerously light headed, but none of that would be enough to stop her from this escape.

'_The exit', _Winry thought to herself, glancing at the doors near two chairs that were so plainly seated against the bland wall.

Her legs carried her quickly through the waiting room, feeling the rush of cold wind hit her panic stricken body the second she staggered out of the doors of the treatment center. It felt rather good, considering how warm and dizzy she was feeling. It even helped her calm her nerves slightly. Winry no longer heard the familiar voice behind her, which most likely meant that her poor roommate had probably not been as lucky as she had been when it came to reaching the exit. But it did not mean that she could just turn back now. She had to keep going and get safely away from this building; even if it meant that her body had to endure more punishment with running.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Outside of the medical facility, Dr. Elric rested against the exterior walls, tiredly counting the stars, while bundling himself in his white coat, failing miserably at keeping himself warm. He had had a tiring day, and he was arguing inwardly with himself on whether he should go home early, or stick it out and head back inside. The last he had checked his watch, it was running around dinner time inside for the patients and doctors; but he really didn't care to indulge himself on sharing the disgusting slop they served with the other medical professionals at their table. If he did, it meant hearing them yap on about medication and medical theories that he agreed with, but really didn't find to be a soothing topic to discuss while he was trying to eat. In fact, no conversation was really good enough for him while he was eating. Edward liked food, so he really truthfully could say that he didn't like being bothered while he was enjoying any of his meals. Needless to say, it happened every time he sat at the table of doctors.

"I'm so hungry; I think I can even eat that rotten, sorry excuse for stew they're serving tonight," he groaned out.

Pushing himself up from the wall, Edward was about ready to carry himself back inside of the hospital, but stopped the second he heard the double doors open up. He wasn't sure whether he should feel surprised or happy once he saw just who exited the building. It wasn't like he hadn't been expecting this. This had so obviously been his 'hunch' that he mentioned to the two girls earlier at breakfast. But he had to admit, he wasn't expecting Winry to try so early in the evening.

The triumphant feeling that began to bubble up in the young doctor's chest dimmed the moment he analyzed Winry's condition. She looked upset, panicked, and severely disoriented. Her blue eyes had even rested on him for a split second, but she seemingly hadn't registered the fact that he was standing a few feet away from her. In fact, he noted that she really wasn't seeing a lot of things. Her eyes looked glazed over and there were fresh tear stains on her cheeks. Whatever had shaken her up had done a good job; but now it was time to shatter his patient's fulfillment at successfully escaping from him and this hospital.

The second Winry broke out in a shaky run; Edward readily sprinted after her, narrowing his golden eyes on her form, ignoring the cars that were busily trying to park in the driveway. He was focused on trying to catch the girl up ahead of him. It was dangerous for Winry to be outside in her current state of mind. If she hadn't even seen him, he feared she wouldn't even notice moving vehicles. He was tempted to call out for her, but something told him to stay silent. He didn't want to alarm her, for it held the off chance that she would do something drastic. He didn't want to have any regrets.

Dr. Elric pushed himself to run even faster, cursing inwardly as Winry got closer to the open street of cars and upcoming traffic. She was fast, but thankfully he was faster. Paninya had not been lying when she had told the running girl that Edward was quite the opponent when it came to trying to get away from him.

Eventually, he gained on his distressed patient and tried his best not to just tackle the poor girl to the ground. Instead, he extended his arms to pull her trembling form back up against him and lock her in place. With her back forcefully pressed against his chest, he growled and narrowed his eyes the second she began to scream and fight to move away from him. Edward was no fool; he knew that she was not screaming because he had caught her. It was something else- something within the depths of her mind that was causing her to act like this. He didn't even think she realized just who had their arms around her.

"Winry, stop it," he whispered firmly, fighting to pin her arms at her side, wrestling with her shaken up body as gently as possible. Of course she wasn't listening to him, instead, screaming louder and shaking her head violently.

"Let go of me! Let go! Let go!" she screamed.

Edward fought hastily to grab one of Winry's arms, tugging it forcefully behind her back, before beginning to work on the other one. It took a generous amount of time, but once he had managed, he carefully brought the girl to her knees and pressed his lips up to Winry's ear, breathing heavily. He could feel her shaking body against his own, but tried his best to ignore it while one free hand rummaged around in his coat pocket, wrapping his fingers around what he sorely needed.

"Winry, I'm taking you back inside. Everything's going to be fine. But first…" he trailed off, pulling his hand out of his pocket and lifting a tube like object to his teeth, yanking the top of it off quickly. Once the sharp tip of the syringe was revealed, Edward worked to move the girl against him onto the ground, keeping one gloved hand locked around her squirming arms behind her back.

"I'm going to calm you down," he whispered.

No! Stop it! Let go of me!" Winry's words were barely audible through her crying. They sounded jumbled and twisted. Her body writhed violently beneath Edward as he gingerly moved to wrap his fingers under the band of her pants, tugging them down only enough so he could see the very lower part of her back. He was more than careful enough to make sure he didn't see more than that. He didn't want Winry to think he was fighting her like this for the purpose to just take advantage of her. It was painfully obvious that she still wasn't registering who she currently was with, despite all of his attempts to talk to her.

"Ready?" his voice lowered as his golden eyes moved to look over her soft skin. Being as gentle as he possibly could, considering the circumstances, Edward moved the needle he held to the girl's lower back and slowly allowed it to prick her flesh, pushing it in and injecting the fluid into her system.

Winry's body eventually began to weaken under his hold, squirming far more weakly than she had been doing earlier. Edward was thankful he always carried these things around, since they were a good way of settling a patient. He had done it to Paninya many times, but he eventually found out that that was what she aimed for, so he had ultimately stopped. But for Winry; it was more than necessary.

"Go away…. Leave me alone," she whined softly, fighting to keep her eyes open.

Edward kept her pinned firmly to the ground till her fighting had come to a complete stop. He ignored the stares that were accumulating around him. They were outside after all, and they were more than a little close to the open street.

Sighing heavily, the young doctor pushed some stray hair out of the girl's face and shifted her weight so he could work on gathering her into his arms. However, he paused the moment he realized that his fingers were still holding Winry's pants halfway down; causing his cheeks to so suddenly heat up the second he lowered his gaze to the lower half of her body. He hadn't meant to see more of her- it was an accident. After all, he had just been trying to give her the injection she needed to put her into an calming, induced sleep.

'_Ah hell, I was just doing my damn job.'_

Then why did his cheeks feel like they were on fire? He did this to countless patients and he never had this reaction before. So why was this any different?

'_As far as I have seen, she's somewhat of a sexual abuse victim… it'd feel awkward to anyone if they had to pin and hold her down against her will,' _Edward reasoned.

Shaking his head to shake off the unwelcome feeling of embarrassment, Dr. Elric moved to pull Winry into his arms, dropping the used syringe into his pocket, turning to look back at the treatment center.

"Let's just get you in bed, Winry," he mumbled, taking a small step forward.

Hearing a soft whine from the girl in his arms, Edward frowned, before moving ahead to take his patient back towards the building. He was feeling a deep sense of guilt for bringing her back into what she felt was like a prison. He knew that Winry didn't want to be in this facility, but now that he had gotten to see this unexpected side of her, he knew that this was a place that she definitely needed to be in for her own safety. It was dangerous for her to be out in society. Something had triggered her sudden panic attack, but he knew that he would have no way of knowing just what it was until she woke back up. Even then, it wasn't promised that she would even tell him. The last he checked, Winry despised him. She would probably hate him when she realized who was responsible for bringing her back into the hospital.

'_It's for your own good, Winry. I have to keep you here until you're better.' _

He had no idea when she would begin to heal inside. Judging by what had just happened; Edward was guessing it would be awhile. There were secrets within Winry, and she would never feel better until she revealed them and dealt with them head on. Hiding them only resulted in moments like this, and he didn't exactly want her to act out like this again.

"I guessed you would escape tonight. But I can't say I was expecting a panic attack to come with it," Edward whispered to the sleeping girl in his arms.

Once he had reached the front doors of the treatment center, he paused and came to a stop as he allowed the medical director to exit before he attempted to head inside. He didn't really care for the man much; he irritated him every chance he could get. Edward knew him well enough, but that didn't really change the fact that he just disliked the man overall. He was too smug and overly confident in his opinion. He also teased him on his height many times. That was considered his biggest pet peeve to all that knew him. The medical director knew this, which was why he chose to continue making the infamous short jokes.

"Hey, you caught her. You catch every runaway, don't you Edward? Sometimes I wonder if you're the cause of it," the man teased as he closed the door behind him.

Edward glared irritably at the one before him and gritted his teeth, shifting Winry's weight in his arms.

"Shove it, Mustang. I don't see your lazy ass trying to run any of them down," he snapped.

The man chuckled and placed one hand calmly in his pocket.

"Why should I? I have you... You seemingly do a good job all your own."

"I really wonder how in the hell you got this job sometimes, Roy." Edward rarely used the man's first name, but ever so often it would pop up.

"My terrific skills and charisma, of course," Mustang bragged shamelessly.

"What skills? Washing windows? You do that every time you have paperwork to do down at your office. You know window washers don't need charisma, so do yourself a favor and stop practicing in the bathroom mirrors. You're scaring away all the janitors in this place. You have any idea what it looks like when the medical director is busy talking to himself in the bathroom of a mental institution?"

Roy laughed out loud and stepped past the other, patting Edward carelessly on the shoulder, heading through the parking lot to his polished car in the nearest corner. It was a reserved area after all.

"You never fail to make my evenings interesting," he called out, disarming his vehicles security alarm, waving a hand and sliding gracefully into his front seat.

Edward watched the man with disgust and held back a fiery growl. He always had an unhealthy urge to punch the man squarely in his face. Mustang was the reason his job was untouchable, so he felt he should probably appreciate the man more than he did. However, Mustang made it so hard with his rude insults, and his dry sense of humor.

"Bastard…"

With an annoyed grumble, Edward glanced up at the many stars in the sky once more, before struggling to open at least one of the doors of the building. Considering the fact that Mustang had been right at the entrance, Dr. Elric chose to add on another reason why he chose to dislike the medical director.

"Idiot could have helped me get inside," he complained, shifting himself through the door with the sleeping Winry safely still tucked away in his arms.

It was time to take the girl back to the adolescent unit. He had wondered earlier what had set her off into a panic attack… if only he had known the very thing that triggered it was the very same thing that made his temper flare. And that 'thing' was driving away in a ridiculously expensive car, most likely making his way home.

If only he knew.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Silverbell: You all better thank me, dammit! I stayed up for hours to do this! From like… 2 in the morning till 7! I'm tired! And unfortunately, I just left another treatment center recently. That's why the update took forever! But sorry! Hope you like the update! I tried!


	6. A Dangerous Line

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_The music faded slowly into the night. Students within the building began to pour out of the double doors, while a blend of conversations filled the air. Laughter, shouting, and the familiar clicking of heels were heard along the cold pavement. The moon was high in the sky, accompanied by twinkling stars and a relieving, soft wind. _

_Winry was the last to step out of the large building. She staggered to the parking lot and flinched at the sores beginning to form at the heels of her feet from her uncomfortable shoes. Her hair was tangled and her eyes were lively and bright. Her night had been perfect… She had hung out with so many of her friends, and she had felt spirited and free. Winry had broken and bent many rules at her age, but she couldn't have felt better. She had to admit to herself that her head felt a little cloudy, but it was nothing she couldn't really handle. In fact, she actually felt rather giddy from the feeling alone. Her body was swaying back and forth, but somehow it only added to her happiness._

_While walking through the emptying parking lot, Winry threw her head back to look at the sky. The air was so crisp and fresh. She felt as though she could stay outside all night long. It didn't occur to her that she had forgotten all about some transportation to get back to her house. All that had mattered was the party. Her parents had so easily assumed she was at a school dance; a safe, friendly gathering of students within the gymnasium and the cafeteria. It had not been a lie, so to speak. Winry had gone to the school dance, but she, like so many others, had left early and headed off to the real party that was being held with some wild college students. _

_The only problem she was facing now was how she was going to get home. She had reassured her parents that she had a ride, but that had been a lie. Nobody had really been available. Winry had thought about calling a cab, but she wasn't sure if she had enough cash to work with. _

_The sound of laughing teenagers and young adults soon faded to nothing and Winry was soon found all by herself within the dark parking lot. The only source of light offered to her was from an old street lamp, flickering on and off. _

_Using the light to the best of her ability, she soon began to rummage around in her small purse for the necessary coins she needed to call a cab. She felt so easygoing, but at the same time she cursed herself for becoming so tipsy. Winry was having trouble remembering where the nearest payphone was at, and it was getting later in the night. _

_Eventually, she turned her body to the side and began to make her way back to the large building, intent on searching for the phone she needed to make a call with. She had only managed to take a few steps before she froze in place at the sound of a honking noise approaching behind her. A part of her had instantly felt some panic. Had her parents discovered where she had gone to? Did someone snitch on her? _

_Winry rubbed at her temples and flinched unhappily at the sound that terrorized her ears. With given time, she allowed herself to turn and face whatever had wanted her attention. As she had expected, a car was pulling into the empty parking lot. However, it wasn't who she had thought it was. _

_She noted that it was an expensive car, unlike the one her parents owned. They were well known doctors, but they had a fondness for old vehicles much to Winry's disgust. But this car almost seemed brand new. It was luxurious and was somehow shining even in the dark. The music within was jazzy and catchy. Although it wasn't Winry's usual choice, it sure beat the awful, old country songs her parents adored._

_Within time, the driver's window began to roll down, revealing a very familiar, but shocking face. Winry had not been expecting to see such a person around at this late at night. And for that someone to actually be within this certain area; it was a real surprise for her. She even feared the one within the vehicle would realize she was a little more than intoxicated with alcohol. But instead, she heard differently. She heard concern. _

"_Winry… Are you alright? What are you doing out here?" _

_What could she say?_

"_Winry, do your parents know you're here?" _

_What could she do?_

"Winry, can you hear me?"

A soft groan escaped the girl's lips while she shifted around uncomfortably in the bed she had been settled in from the night before. She seemed to be rousing from her long sleep, but she had not yet spoken one word.

Rose and Edward were seated at her side, both waiting patiently for her to respond to them. She hadn't stirred once since her attempted escape, but the two had both known that the young girl had truly exhausted herself mentally and physically. Dr. Elric still had not known what had caused such a reaction, but he was curious to find out.

That night he had brought her back to the adolescent unit, he had been attacked by a deep sense of guilt. Although he could understand that her struggles against him weren't personal, it still felt as though he was the one to blame for her sudden crisis. On top of that, the medical director had successfully succeeded in irritating him. But the next morning, he had come right back on the job, checking in to see if his feisty patient had even stirred once throughout the entire night. It wasn't a surprise when he had heard that she had been almost motionless through all the hours.

In truth, the injection he had given her was only something that should have lasted for a little while, but apparently Winry had been tired enough to let sleep take over after the drug had eventually worn off.

"She's not responding Dr. Elric," said Rose softly.

"She's waking up. Just give her a few minutes- probably a little disoriented is all."

Edward's young patient had been shuffling about on the bed for at least ten to fifteen minutes, but with no clear, verbal responses. Rose had given him the news of her movement the moment she had noticed it on camera from the nurse's station. The girl's room was out of the question after such an escape, so they had all agreed on placing her in the Quiet Room under the safe supervision of cameras instead.

"What are you going to say to her when she is finally alert?" the young nurse questioned.

Edward shrugged and leaned back in his seat with a small sigh.

"I'd really like to bitch at her like a woman and tell her how unhappy I was with chasing her down last night, but I'm deciding to go with the adult approach this time."

"What a gentleman," Rose laughed.

The young doctor could only huff irritably and cross his arms. Females could be so frustrating.

"…Whatever."

With the small jokes eventually placed aside, the two medical professionals were soon off conversing about other issues and events- it so easily could pass the time for both of them until the young Rockbell awakened.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Winry's eyes slowly began to flutter open. She felt groggy and ill inside. Her head was pounding and her body felt strangely heavy. She was having a difficult time remembering where she was, or what had even happened. Honestly, all she wanted to do was go back to sleep. She had a feeling that whatever had happened, she possibly would rather have it stay in the depths of her mind.

However, the murmuring and strange voices all around her were keeping her awake; preventing her from falling back into her desired sleep. She wanted to shout at the ones calling to her and demand they leave her in peace. They were fogging up her thoughts and she didn't appreciate it- nor was she happy with the pressure she felt at her temples.

'The voices… they won't go away.'

Her stomach felt like it was twisting and she had the terrible urge to empty out any contents that were within it. But despite her miserable stomachache and the pounding in her head, Winry's vision was eventually becoming clear. She had no idea where she was, and that alone was making her nervous.

'I want to go home.'

Her body still felt so heavy. She couldn't lift her arms or her legs. Every part of her felt like stone. And it wasn't till her head tilted to the side did she finally realize why that was. Her wrists were tied down securely to the top edges of a bed. With a bit more forced movement, she also realized that her ankles and the center of her body were also locked in place.

"What's…happening? Why am I..?"

Winry chose to slide her eyes shut once more. The room was spinning around and her body was beginning to tremble from the realization of being immobile.

This couldn't be happening! She felt so defenseless and weak in her current position. But instead of succumbing to her situation, Winry decided to tug at her restraints out of anger and an overwhelming mixture of fear. She could hear the muffled voices become far more insistent, but she refused to listen. She figured whoever was trying to get her attention was most likely the one responsible for holding her 'captive'. In her mind, still felt she was in possible danger. She couldn't move and she _still_ felt sick all over. The voices she continued to hear were making her feel uneasy and scared. They sounded so familiar, yet a part of her felt the stubborn need to continue to distrust them.

However, the constant curiosity that plagued her mind had eventually gotten her to shift her head to take a quick glance at the ones who were so obviously within the room with her. Her blue eyes were soon met with gold and cocoa brown; blonde hair and pink tinted bangs. It had all seemed to be familiar, but Winry did not associate them with positive things. In fact, the first thing she truly noticed was the upsetting medical attire the two figures were wearing.

'Doctors…' she thought gloomily.

These people were not her friends. That much was obvious…So why was she not back in her bedroom? Why was she surrounded by white walls, restraints, and these pushy medical people? Where were her parents? Winry tried again and again to answer her own quiet questions, but she consistently was drawing a blank. All that was offered to her were small bits and pieces of random conversations that began to float through her head- conversations that all included her.

"…_When they catch you, they hold you down until you start to relax. If you don't, you get put in mechanical restraints. Catch my drift? A lot of times, they inject you though before that happens._"

She was starting to piece things together within the conversations, but the more she continued to do so, the less happy she was becoming- not that she was all that joyful to begin with.

"_God, that stuff feels nice. It feels like you're walking on clouds and floating in honey or something."_

'Paninya.'

Her roommate's name had so suddenly come to her; it made her whole head spin uncomfortably. Winry was also beginning to remember the names of the two people before her as well, and the reason for being where she was in the first place. With the information that was steadily coming to mind, she finally reached the last piece. And with that, she began to remember the building she was within, the people, and finally her attempted escape. She remembered running through the halls and knocking over the old woman at the front desk, and she even recalled bolting out of the facility itself. But after that, she found that everything was nothing more than a big blur.

"…Why did you bring me back here?" she questioned softly.

The silence that strangely followed made Winry feel uneasy, but at the same time, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to speak with these people. It didn't matter what their answer would be. What could either of them possibly say to her to ease her mind? She didn't expect an apology, and she sure didn't believe she was going to be given a reasonable answer for her question.

Instead of getting any form of an answer, Winry watched as the young nurse moved from her seat next to the bed and made a straight beeline for the door. Dr. Elric didn't seem phased by it, and instead, made himself more comfortable in his chair. The blonde doctor seemed willing to speak to Winry, but he didn't seem too eager to rush it.

"Are you going to answer me or not?" Winry spat.

"I think it's fairly obvious as to why I brought you back here."

"I told you already, I don't need your help. You should have just left me alone," she hissed.

"If I would have done that, you would have run right into traffic," Edward pointed out.

Winry didn't remember running towards any cars; but even if she had, it didn't matter.

"You forget that I don't exactly value living right now."

"Regardless of how true that is, I don't really even think you were in touch with reality last night. Am I wrong?"

It was true. Winry didn't remember her escape in too much detail. Everything had gone hazy the second she stepped out of the hospital itself.

"Don't misunderstand. I already know you were planning that escape," Edward sighed. "You and Paninya made it clear to me yesterday at breakfast. It's not that it's uncommon, but anxiety attacks included can be considered rare. You wanna tell me about what happened last night?"

As the young doctor expected, Winry's wall of defense heightened at his words. The triggered panic attack had stemmed from somewhere, and the girl was determined to keep it well hidden. Getting a story out of her anytime soon would be a true miracle. Unfortunately for Edward, he didn't believe in those much.

"Can I just go back to my room? You don't have to keep me chained down like some kind of animal," Winry snapped viciously.

"I don't think I need to tell you the reasoning behind that. I'll consider releasing you from those restraints, but in the end you're still not going to like the end results."

"What do you mean by that? What sort of end results?" she wrinkled her nose, craning her neck to get a better look at him.

"A one on one," Edward stated simply. He didn't expect her to understand just what that meant, but he knew she was going to be less than happy with the term and the actions behind it. Nobody ever did like being caught up in it, and he was certain that Winry was going to be less than pleased.

Once he realized his patient was waiting for a fair explanation, he sighed and shifted to further comfort himself in his seat.

"A one on one- It's another step in keeping an eye on the ones who are suicidal, and the ones who attempted an escape. In this case, you're both of them."

Winry wasn't quite sure if she understood. Weren't the cameras the biggest step they could take in such a place? Her doctor was being persistently vague.

"You can make things easier for me by just being blunt, Dr. Elric. I don't need a drum roll or anything of the sort. Just tell me what it is," she grumbled.

Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"Fair enough. It basically means having someone watch over you until it seems safe enough to let you go unattended. On the bright side, you won't be tied down like this and you'll be taken out of the Quiet Room. But if you're like any of the other patients I've known, I doubt you're going to like having your every move monitored and noted. Is that explanation enough?"

That was blunt enough for her. But as Edward had guessed, she didn't like it. He could tell by the sour expression that was forming on her face. It was already bad enough having people watching you from a camera angle, but up close? It just didn't seem fair or reasonable.

"So you're going to make someone watch me?" she asked.

"More or less," Edward drawled.

The young doctor wasn't in the mood to talk to her about the consequences of her actions. He just wanted to know the reasons behind her panic and her lost touch of reality the night before. Surely, it wasn't his business, but at times he knew he could be more than a little nosy. However, he knew that his chances of getting her to talk to him about the escape would be slim to none. That job rested with the therapists. He, on the other hand was only supposed to direct her medicine and modify the dosages. In the end, he also had the aggravating chore of arranging her eventual discharge and follow up- Not that it was anytime soon.

"No thanks. I'd rather try my luck in here. At least I won't have someone watching me like a hawk," Winry grumbled.

'Typical answer,' he mused.

Edward didn't believe she would stick with it, but he didn't bother to argue with her. In his opinion, she was just trying to be difficult- uncooperative. But he was highly aware that if he were in her shoes, he would be just as bad. If_ he_ were tied down, partially sedated, and told that someone would be watching _him _as an alternative, he knew he would be furious and more than a little pissed off. He most likely would have chosen to remain in this room as well. And since he knew just who would be monitoring Winry, he felt the need to be sympathetic for her too. His patient's comment about 'a hawk' wasn't exactly a lie. It was humorously far more than some simple comparison. But Edward didn't feel the need to tell the girl. She would just have to see for herself.

"I'll make the arrangements for you to be placed in another room soon," Edward called out, stepping off into the hall.

Winry squirmed anxiously on the bed, struggling to keep her eyes on her blonde doctor. Was the man deaf?! Did he not hear her decision to stay as she was?

"Hey! Didn't you just hear me?! I said I'm going to stay here!" She worked hard to level her tone out while she shouted at him. She didn't like feeling as though she were losing control of her temper. Winry tried to take pride in the fact that she could soothe herself and take things in stride. But lately, she had been doing the opposite; and it was mainly caused by Edward. He riled her up and always upset her with his words. It didn't seem to matter how 'nice' he was trying to be. In the end, he always rubbed her the wrong way.

"He's… such a jerk."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Shortly after the departure of Edward from the Quiet Room, Winry was soon released from her restraints and escorted down the hospital hall to her new room. As she had expected, she was no longer placed with her lively roommate, Paninya. It upset her, but she knew that it really couldn't be helped. The two had tried to escape together, so it would have been foolish to allow them the luxury of sharing a room again.

Although Paninya never failed to annoy and fluster her, Winry couldn't help but feel lonely. She had only been friends with her roommate for a couple days, but she had grown attached to the bouncy girl. It had been so long since she had such a good friend, and being in a hospital made her long for comfort from people who could understand. Edward and Rose had claimed to understand, but she didn't believe them at all. How could they?

Stepping into the new room she was given, Winry walked straight to the bed and flopped on it carelessly. Her arms wrapped around her pillow, and her body curled into an instant fetal position. The sheets felt rough, but it was far better than being tied down. She would never openly admit it, but she was grateful she could have this instead of the Quiet Room and its terrible cameras. Winry was aware that someone would be coming to watch her soon, but she still felt that this had to better than what she had before.

'If it weren't for Dr. Elric, I probably would have been out of here,' she thought to herself. 'I could have been far away. I wouldn't be sitting here waiting for one of his lackey's to arrive.'

But then again, Edward had mentioned something about her running head on into traffic. She didn't remember it, but she didn't see any reason on why he should lie about it. If it really had been true, then Winry couldn't help but feel somewhat grateful. She had thought of herself as suicidal, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to slip out of this world by getting hit by a car. Like so many others, she wanted a painless escape. It was a cowardly desire in her opinion, but she stubbornly still chose to reach for it.

Clutching onto her pillow tightly, Winry groaned at the stabbing pain that continued to shoot through her stomach and her head. Perhaps it was lack of food? She hadn't been able to eat dinner the night before. Or maybe she just felt homesick? Either way, it was starting to feel terrible; and the nausea she had felt when she had first woken up was on the rise again.

'Walking on clouds and floating in honey. What a joke that's turning out to be, Paninya,' Winry thought miserably. Her roommate had told her that the injection was like nothing she had ever felt before. It had felt refreshing and wonderful. Many patients apparently would wake feeling as though they slept for a good few days. Although that was true in Winry's case, the refreshing part was proving to be completely false. She did not feel wonderful, and she sure didn't feel as though she were walking on any clouds or floating in honey. She just felt like she was recovering from some horrible hangover.

"I'm going to hit her so hard when I see her," Winry choked out.

These were times when anybody would just want to be in the comfort of their own home. Winry felt like throwing up, crying, and screaming all at the same time. It was one thing to be sick in a normal hospital, but to become physically ill in a treatment center just seemed to be that much worse.

Rolling onto her side, Winry pushed her pillow down till it was positioned vertically to her body. She hugged it tightly against her, attempting to soothe her grumbling stomach. The only thing she could do for her head was close her eyes and hope for the best. She knew she could most likely walk to the nurses' station and request some medicine, but she didn't want to add insult to injury.

"Miss Rockbell?"

Winry jolted at the sudden voice and instantly groaned at her lack of relaxation. Why did these people always insist on bothering her? The voice didn't sound familiar, but she was annoyed all the same. She didn't even have the decency to turn and greet the stranger. Her voice would have to make up for it.

"Yes, that's me," she sighed.

Fully expecting another question, Winry remained curled up on her bed and listened for the sounds of the stranger at her open door. When she received nothing but silence, she decided that it wouldn't hurt just to take a peek at the one who had called out to her. Shifting her body away from the wall she had been facing, Winry cautiously opened her eyes to see just who had been sent in to speak with her.

It was a woman. That much she could tell. Her visitor had blonde hair much like herself, though she kept it tied back and pinned in a stylish but professional fashion. She wore a frown on her face, and she appeared to be rather stiff in posture. In Winry's opinion, she didn't look too kind at all. But then again, lately, she hadn't been getting along with anybody in this building.

"I'll bet you're the one that's supposed to watch me, aren't you?" Winry didn't believe she sounded rude. It was just a simple question- one that she was certain of the answer already.

Yet instead of speaking to the blonde, the woman stepped quietly into the room with a small nod, setting a bundle of familiar clothes onto the nightstand.

"I brought you your belongings from the other room. Unfortunately, I've found something that I'll have to be confiscating. It seems as though the nurse that checked through your stuff didn't catch it," the woman said calmly.

Winry could feel confusion, irritation, and her nausea begin to mix altogether. Who did this lady think she was? She sounded as though she could be some kid's hellish principal from school. What did she mean that something had to be confiscated? All of her belongings that hadn't been taken away in the first search were nothing but clothes. All of the laces and items with strings had been taken away, so what left was there to take?

"Your bra is underwire. And that's not something we can let you have right now; especially after last night. Maybe when the 'one on one' is called off, you can have it back. But until then, we're going to have to hold it."

Winry found herself starting to highly favor Edward's company over this woman. She was even worse than the old crone, Farrah at the front desk. And aside from being weary of the lady, she was now supposedly going to be without a bra.

"You've got to be kidding me. What am I supposed to wear with all of my shirts? You people let me keep those, but I can't have my bra because the wire in it?" she questioned with a huff.

The blonde woman held up the bra and kept her expression placid.

"Would you like me to take the wire out? If I do that, you'll be allowed to keep it."

"Won't that mess it up?" Winry asked testily.

"It's nothing a little sewing won't fix."

As if she was ever going to take the time out to knit wire back into a bra. Winry wasn't the sewing type.

"No. I don't want it taken out," she decided.

This was ridiculous. Out of all the things that the facility had to take from her, it had to be her bra. Winry had brought along loose fitting shirts for her stay, but it did little to comfort her.

The woman didn't seem bothered by Winry's sudden decision either. Instead, she stepped back to the doorway of the room and placed the bra into a small bag on the floor. Soon after, she scooted a chair near the entryway and settled herself into it, leaning back.

Winry couldn't help but wonder why the people within this whole building seemed uninterested in giving out their name. She found it rude and very unsettling. If someone was going to watch her, she wanted to know who they were.

"Can you at least tell me who you are?" she asked.

The woman tugged out a small book and settled it on her lap, reaching in through the pages to recover her bookmark. Her eyes rose at Winry's question, staring back at her with a solid frown.

"Riza Hawkeye. You are welcome to tell me if you would like anything at anytime."

Sure she would. Asking her for a free ticket out of this building sounded nice. Or maybe a good swing at Dr. Elric for getting her stuck with this woman in the first place. Winry had entered the treatment center feeling down and unhappy, but now she was just angry and sick. Those two never mixed well, and it didn't help that she was already feeling more than a little defiant. Instead of answering Hawkeye, she turned her back to the woman and sat straight up in her bed. There was no way she was going to have a staring contest in her spare time with someone who had nothing better to do than watch her. Unfortunately, her position of choice didn't last long.

"Do you want to lay down?" Hawkeye asked.

"No."

"Then you need to face me. I can't see what you're doing."

Unbelievable. Could she not do anything without someone having a problem with it? Winry was really starting to wish she prolonged her conversation with Edward instead. But if she had, the topic would have eventually strayed to the problem she was having with a certain medical director. And she would much rather keep those things to herself. It was nobody's business but her own.

"Winry?" Hawkeye persisted.

"Yeah, okay. I heard you," she mumbled. Reluctantly, Winry turned her body around till she was facing the front door and the bossy woman. It felt awkward staring back at someone. Although Hawkeye was reading, she knew that she was still keeping a close eye on her. It wasn't something she believed she could just get used to in such a short time.

"Would you like to go to lunch? You missed breakfast."

She didn't much feel like speaking to Hawkeye anymore. Her stomach was begging for food, but her mind was in overdrive. She didn't want to eat anything. It would most likely soothe her terrible headache and the heightening nausea, but her fear of running into that man again kept her from accepting.

Silently shaking her head, she eventually decided that laying down was proving to be far more favorable than sitting up. The room felt like it was spinning again, and her mouth felt extra moist; a feeling she linked up with a trip to the bathroom. If her dizziness didn't settle soon, she was certain she would be losing anything that was still remaining in her stomach. She wished she could fall back into a sleep; one without nightmares and one without thoughts of the treatment center. Winry didn't want to think of Rose, Hawkeye… and she didn't want to think of Edward.

'Edward…' she spoke the name in her mind carefully.

Dr. Elric had brought her back into this hospital. He had chased her down and carried her back to this place. He was nosy and he always had smart remarks that made her blood boil. He invited himself to her table when she had food, and he always popped into her head without permission.

'I hate him…'

Winry hated his stunning, exotic golden eyes. She hated his soft looking blonde hair, and she hated his intelligent, confident personality. It was everything she liked in a man, but he was carrying all of it wrong. He was rude, and he rubbed her nose in the fact that he had more power over her than anyone in the entire building.

The helplessness that followed with these thoughts made her suddenly feel so small. She didn't like being overpowered. It made her feel lonely, empty, and worthless. She had had these feelings before, and she didn't welcome them. They always made her panic and think irrationally.

'He's trying to control me,' she thought to herself. "He doesn't want to help me.'

Winry's dizziness grew more severe. She cradled her head into her hands and curled herself into a tight ball, emitting a soft whimper. She was growing nervous, and her nausea suffered because of it. The moisture in mouth thickened, and stomach felt like it was doing flip flops.

How could the thought of a man alone make her feel so ill? Yet, despite her fears, Winry found herself _wanting _to see Dr. Elric. She didn't know why, but she felt desperate and needy. She didn't know what to do about it. She disliked the man and everyone all around her knew it. Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her? Maybe she just wanted Edward because he could give her the medicine to make her relax. It was the only reason she could think of.

'But his voice... so gentle.'

Her heart began to beat heavily. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. The pressure in her head was overwhelming, and her body felt so heavy. She wasn't quite sure who she wanted at her side now; she just wanted the panic to go away.

"Winry? Are you alright?"

'I feel so sick…'

She clenched the sheets and tugged at them helplessly. Her anxiety was not getting any better. Her body was suffering from her overworking mind, continuously running through memories and thoughts that brought her nothing but shame.

Within time, she scrambled from the bed and untangled herself from the blankets as quickly as possible. She could hear Hawkeye calling out to her, but she passively ignored it and rushed into the bathroom. Her legs collapsed beneath her as soon as she reached the toilet, crumpling down and allowing all that was in her stomach to finally rise up and leave her ill body. She knew she should have prepared for this. She had been feeling ill ever since she woke up in the Quiet Room. She also had enough sense to know that quite often after regurgitating, the stomach usually settled itself. But the price to pay for it was less than pleasurable.

As Winry remained hunched over the toilet, the door to the bathroom opened carefully as Hawkeye poked her head in, grimacing at the sight before her. Yet, she offered no comforting words. Instead, she called out for any available nurses down the hall for assistance and kept her hand on the side of the door to keep it ajar.

What followed after was enough to drive Winry mad. Nurses barged in to announce their orders from Dr. Elric; they hammered her with questions, got her settled back in bed, and prepared her for another unwelcome injection in her backside. They had promised that it would make the nausea go away, but the pain of the medication flowing into her system was painful. It made her whimper and blink back tears. She could feel the irritation in her stomach leave her, but her world felt upside down.

"Please let me go home. I don't want to be here," Winry pleaded, burying her face into her pillow.

However, her cries remained unanswered, instead receiving sympathetic pats and whispered words to help relax her.

Standing away from the sudden commotion, Edward leaned against the doorway of Winry's room and stared in with an unreadable expression. He could have given the injection himself, but he feared an embarrassing repeat from the night before. Everytime he thought of it, it brought an uncomfortable red color to his cheeks. If the injection would have been anywhere else, the young doctor would have been more than happy to do it. He had no idea why a simple accident irked him so much, but it was doing a good job at preventing him from getting too close to his blonde patient again.

He could hear her soft pleading, and it brought all of the guilt back to him. Edward wanted to discharge her from this hospital. Her discomfort was starting to bother him. Something he knew he wasn't used to. He could sympathize with patients, but to empathize with them was an entirely different matter. He couldn't say he liked it too much, nor was he used to it.

How many times was he going to have to watch her collapse like this? She hadn't been in the facility long, but her episodes were already taking their toll on him. He never liked seeing girls cry, but her tears held some emotion he couldn't quite place. Hurt? Discomfort? How was he supposed to know? Dr. Elric already could guess that his patient had been abused in some way or form; but the details were obviously still very unclear. They probably would be for a generous amount of time.

Feeling eyes on him, Edward turned his attention to the bed where the blonde was resting. He could see her looking back at him sadly, pleading with unspoken words for help. It surprised him, for he knew Winry usually detested him and frowned upon asking for his assistance. But despite his eagerness to step into the room and comfort her, Edward found himself looking away and down-casting his eyes to the floor. He wanted to help her. He really did. But his discomfort with the ability to empathize with her kept him frozen at her doorway. There was a barrier around Winry; something that was telling him to stay away and not get any closer than he needed to be. How could he expect himself to do more for her when there was such an obvious, yet undeclared warning from Winry herself to stay away?

But perhaps it was for the best. The line he would need to cross to get to his patient was a dangerous one. A line he had never crossed with any other.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Silverbell: This chapter was actually supposed to be up two weeks ago. But a lot of things happened within that time to delay this. First, I found a job! Second, my poor step sister had a very bad asthma attack and had to go to the hospital, and third… I got sick the week I was supposed to write in order to update. Hope it was okay! I had a painfully hard time writing this chapter and I've been suffering with writer's block. I don't really like this one much, but as always... I tried my very best. This chapter was an opening for the romance between Edward and Winry, but I still don't want rush it. In reality, the two haven't known eachother very long at all in this story. Besides, they both need to still get their attitude together. I know a lot of you hate Edward at the moment, but he'll get better! We all know he can be an ass!

A question for you all! I was thinking of putting Alphonse in this story. But I'm not sure what role I would like him to play. A patient, doctor, or something else? Maybe don't put him in at all? Any suggestions?

Review please! It's always much appreciated!


	7. The Vital Arrangement

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I'm going to the Day Room."

It had been a simple statement. The chaos of nausea and panic within Winry had passed only a couple of hours ago, but her restlessness had only proven to increase. There was no possible way she could remain tucked away in her bed for the remainder of the day. It was something she debated on for a generous amount of time, but eventually her need to move won over her desire to keep herself hidden from patients and medical staff alike.

"If that's what you want to do."

Winry couldn't help but roll her eyes. Hawkeye had been sitting with her the whole time she was made to recover in her bed. She never tried to make conversation with her, and she continuously pestered her to change positions during her rest in order for the woman to be able to see her better. It had all been a terrible headache. In Winry's opinion, any place was now better than being stuck in the same room with her irritating 'guard'.

Slipping off of the bed, she placed her covered feet onto the floor and hurriedly threw the blue blanket off of her shaky form. Regardless of the fact that her night before had been full of running and tears, she had an overwhelming desire to move around. She felt wired and jumpy, but it in no way substituted the feeling of contentment that she longed for. Being content meant relaxing in her own bedroom- flipping through television channels and reading her own personal preference of favored books on her bookshelf. That special feeling of peace had not been inside of her for such a long time. Winry could have fooled herself into believing that she had been alright for the past year- she could trick herself into pretending that her life was fine and her world was stable. But she could only do that if she stayed in her comfort zone. The illusions of safety and wellness always disappeared in the past whenever she had stepped outside of her front door. And now that she found herself so far away from anything that had ever allowed her any temporary comfort, Winry continued to feel as though the wall she had put up to protect her was now starting to crumble. In its place, she felt an aching emptiness begin to grow.

Allowing her hand to grip onto the side of the doorway, Winry paused hesitantly as she glanced down the hall. She knew who she was looking for, and she sincerely hoped he wouldn't be around. She felt vulnerable and weakened, and she knew that someone as observant as he was would catch it almost instantly. Winry had not even known the man for a full week, and yet she easily understood that he could catch many things that others could not. He probably had even suspected her whole reason for being here.

"Did you change your mind?"

Winry jumped in surprise at the voice that rumbled behind her. It sounded just as bland and as emotionless as it had earlier.

"No! I just need a second," she snapped.

Dr. Elric was not the only reason she was hesitant to step outside of her room. An unwelcome fear was bubbling up inside of her and it snaked all the way up her body and into her chest. This was how she had always felt whenever she and her parents had to leave the house. And when she had to go to school, the feeling persisted. If there had been anything comforting about the treatment center, it had been the security she was promised- A place where she didn't have to fear running into trouble. That had been the only reassuring aspect about the confining building. But in truth, she could now clearly see that even a place such as this could not save her from who she had been trying to escape from.

Once she had deemed the area secure enough, Winry took a silent step out from her bedroom and turned her head wearily from side to side. She knew she must have looked a little paranoid, but she could never deny that she wasn't. It had taken her a gracious amount of time to even reach the end of the hall where the Day Room was located. However, with her destination almost reached, Winry noted a small problem behind her. The person she had been trying to ditch was hot on her heels and didn't appear to look as though she was leaving anytime soon.

"Why are you following me?" she muttered.

Hawkeye, who had remained disturbingly silent through the trek down the hall, glanced up with a calm expression on her face.

"This is a one on one, Winry. This was explained to you already."

"I thought that only applied to the room!" she hissed.

"No, it applies to wherever you go."

What a load of crap that was turning out to be. Winry had been almost certain that the blonde woman would have left her alone if she went into 'public' view within the Day Room. Nurses constantly scampered around there, and patients lounged around inside of it for hours. She didn't believe there to be any reason as to why she had to be watched in such a place.

"And when do I finally get some real privacy? I find it sad that I have to forgo my wants to be in my room and make the decision to be out here, only to find that you're still going to be following me!"

Hawkeye didn't seem phased by Winry's shouting and calmly listened until she finished.

"I understand that this must be difficult for you. But if you're having trouble handling this, I suggest you talk to your doctor."

Why? Why did everything keep linking back up to Dr. Elric? It didn't seem to matter what kind of problem Winry was having. If there was anything she was having difficulty understanding or dealing with, it was always just suggested she go talk to Edward.

"I don't want to talk to my doctor; I want to talk to my parents! It's only been three days in here and you all are just making this a living hell!" Apparently being wired and jumpy was not doing wonders for her temper. It was flaring again and she felt like socking someone in the face to relieve her anger and tension.

"That can be arranged… But…" Hawkeye trailed off and cleared her throat.

"But…?" Winry persisted.

"You have to talk to your doctor."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The time spent in the Day Room had Winry brightening up just enough to soothe her growing anger and anxiety. The earlier conversation with Hawkeye had irritated her and she felt that trying to do other things would have to suffice instead of deciding to horribly mangle her spiritless chaperon. She had grudgingly agreed to meet with Dr. Elric again, but only for the sake of getting a fair chance to speak to her parents. She needed them to reverse their decision on placing her in long term. Winry desperately needed them to reconsider. They had to take her out of this place. Three days had already felt like a year, and it was in no way helping her cope with the problems she was dealing with. And now that she knew the source of her problems was _in_ this building, she felt her desperation heighten considerably.

However, Edward was away attending to other matters, so it left Winry to try and keep herself busy until she would be given the chance to speak with him alone. She had been hoping Paninya would have been around in the Day Room, but a quick scan over her surroundings had showed her that the girl was nowhere to be seen. It made her wonder if something had happened to her bouncy roommate, but her mind eagerly worked on pushing the thoughts away, instead choosing to focus on the television centered at the far end of the walls. The patients were busy watching some silly movie, which seemed to amuse the lot of them, but did little to even offer a smile to Winry. Her eyes were on the screen, but she consistently kept diving into her memories against her will, bringing back up her unpleasant experiences again and again.

"Winry, do you like the movie?" Hawkeye questioned carefully.

She stayed silent as she watched the screen, capturing all the movement and colors, but not allowing any of it to register. She probably would have enjoyed it if she would have just paid closer attention, but her thoughts on other things kept her constantly preoccupied.

"Not really. No."

"Would you like to play a board game instead with some of the other patients?"

Winry shook her head and continued to watch the television quietly, fiddling with her fingers as she leaned back into the blue couch. It was strange. She had felt so jumpy and hyper on her way out to the Day Room, but now that she was inside and surrounded by patients and nurses, her motivation to keep herself 'busy' had faded away to nothing. It was as if she was slowly starting to sink into realization on where she was. And it never had been a place she would have ever seen herself in for the future. But she was here… And it was all because of him.

"_I… just got out from a party. It was a school dance." _

_The driver inside of the vehicle stared back at her with confusion, pulling his wrist up to his eyes, glancing down at the watch and hurriedly analyzing the time._

"_It's almost midnight, Winry. Does a school dance last that long? I thought those things were held at the actual building?"_

_Damn. Her intoxication was making lying a lot harder to pull off. She had somehow completely forgotten that she was elsewhere. The school dance had ended hours ago most likely. Now she found herself caught out here in the dark- tipsy, unbalanced and rather lively. _

"_I'm…um…" Winry wobbled in her heels and desperately tried to straighten out the tangles in her hair from dancing the night away. She had no idea what to say to this man. She knew who he was, but she had only met him a couple of times with her parents. _

"_Have you been drinking…?" The driver didn't seem all to happy to ask that as he poked his head out the window and watched her with a deepening frown on his face. _

_All of these questions were bothering her. She didn't know how to answer any of them and now she was most likely in trouble. This man was definitely going to snitch on her and get her grounded for weeks. She would never see the light of day! _

"_Look, how about I just give you a ride home and we'll talk about it on the way? It's late and I know your parents are probably worried sick about you."_

_It was rather far along in the night. Winry hadn't realized that at all. In fact, she hadn't been thinking about a lot. If she would have planned this more cleverly, she wouldn't have gotten herself into such a troublesome situation. Even if she were to have called a cab, her parents were probably waiting at home for her and most likely sitting on the couch anticipating her arrival. And it obviously wasn't hard to tell that she was drunk on quite a few bottles of alcohol. _

"_Winry, did you hear me? Do you need some help?" The man unbuckled his seat belt and prepared to step out of the car, fully intending on guiding the girl safely into the passenger seat. However, he paused when she quickly waved a hand dismissively and staggered over to the opposite side of the vehicle, sliding her body clumsily over the hood of the car and finally reaching the door. _

"_Are you gonna tell my mom and dad?" she questioned carefully, working hard on trying to keep her words parted and smooth._

"_We'll talk about it on the way", he repeated carefully. "Put you seat belt on for now, okay?" _

_Winry fumbled around noisily as she slid into her seat and reluctantly did as she was told. Her fingers wrapped lazily around the silver band, pulling it over her shoulder and stomach, clicking the metal piece into place and listening to the device lock her in. _

"_You ready to go?" The man placed his hands on the wheel and leaned back in his seat, applying some pressure to the gas pedal. _

_Winry could only faintly nod, feeling her head start to spin as the vehicle moved forward to drive off into the night, leaving the lonely party building behind. _

"Is the movie that interesting…?"

Winry blinked and turned her head away from the television screen, carefully placing her blue eyes on the figure now standing beside her. She hadn't heard him come up to her, and she didn't even know if he had said anything before she had snapped back to the present time. Regardless, she felt a surprising feeling of relief wash over her when she recognized the familiar golden eyes. She wasn't in a car and she wasn't intoxicated. Winry was in a hospital and she had only been trying to watch TV. Now her doctor had come in to speak with her to possibly make the arrangements she desired in order to visit with her parents.

"Maybe it is. It's far more interesting than anything else in this place," Winry drawled.

Edward stood at her side and lifted his head to glance once at the movie screen, before focusing back on his stubborn patient.

"You're a terrible liar," he pointed out.

"Oh?"

"As far as I could see, you weren't even focusing on the screen. Your eyes were- how would you say it? Looking through the movie… A daydream, maybe?"

Winry bristled and pulled herself up from the couch, snapping her arms to her side and quickly lowering her gaze to the tiled floor.

"You're not even close. But I didn't want to talk to you about movies or my feelings. Sorry to break your heart," she said.

Dr. Elric merely shrugged and turned his head to look back at the screen, keeping his gloved hands firmly in his pockets. It was obvious he was going to allow her the chance to tell him what she needed. Winry had asked for him, so he had come. Now it was up to her to ask some questions.

"Winry, you called for me. I'm only here to see what I can do for you right now. I wasn't intending on pursuing your secrets," Edward sighed. His tone had come out a little colder than he expected, but he was growing tired of her attitude.

"I heard you're the only one that can set up a meeting with my parents. I want to talk to them," Winry stated.

Edward slowly turned to her, a frown forming on his face.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now."

"Why not?!" she snapped, trying hard to control the volume of her voice.

"Where should I start? You tried to escape last night, you had a severe anxiety attack, you were ill earlier and just now it was obvious you were spacing out."

All of that sounded outrageous! The reasons that Dr. Elric had calmly listed out were not considered anywhere near crucial enough to keep her away from her family. Winry was angry with her parents, but regardless of what she had done and what had happened, she believed she still deserved a chance to speak with them.

"None of that should even matter!"

Winry was also highly aware of Hawkeye standing close by, listening to their conversation, but she chose to ignore the woman's concentrated stare, instead keeping her attention on the blonde doctor before her.

"It does matter. Why do you want to talk to them?" Edward asked.

"Because they're my parents, that's why! And I deserve that right!"

Dr. Elric was starting to wonder if Winry was getting more hostile or just more comfortable with him on a social level. She spoke to him as though she had known him for years, consistently raising her voice and never once holding back from whatever words she felt was suited for the conversation. To some degree, Edward was interested in that, yet at the same time it never failed to agitate him.

"If I were to arrange the visit for you, Winry; do I have your word that there will be no guilt trips or screaming involved? I have an incessant feeling that that's the only thing you're trying to accomplish with them. And I'll tell you now that if that's what you have in mind, your visit will be cut short."

Those things _had_ all been something that she had been planning on, but Winry felt she was justified in her decisions. What was there to _not_ guilt trip them about? What was there to_ not_ scream at them for? They had lied to her and moved her into this place with the intentions of not coming back for her for quite awhile. Winry had felt abandoned and confused.

"Tell me… Dr. Elric. If someone asked you that question while you were in a difficult situation, how would _you _answer?"

There was a long pause with Winry's words. Edward had not been expecting such a serious question from the girl, and he wasn't so sure on how to answer it. He could spout off definitions of numerous medical terms, verify countless medications, and determine an individual's overall mentality. But a direct question like this had caught him off guard.

"Well?" Winry persisted.

"I'm not obligated to answer that."

"You're just avoiding answering because you know you would just shout at your parents too," she accused.

Edward rolled his eyes and avoided her penetrating stare.

"I would not."

"You're a terrible liar."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

In the end, Winry had been triumphant with their small conversation. She had pestered him relentlessly until he had eventually decided to give in and give her what she had wanted. However, he had been firm on his conditions. Although Dr. Elric knew that refraining from yelling at one's parents would be difficult and troublesome, he had expected her to at least try.

Currently, his patient was back in her room with Hawkeye watching over her as he aimlessly wandered around the Day Room by himself. He knew he had many things to do, but he was still working on figuring out Winry's secret. In truth, it was really none of his business to pry so deeply into her personal life. But then again, he was her doctor and he could understand her needs better if she would just talk to him. It wasn't as if he gained pleasure out of upsetting her, but he made an effort to always make sure that he made decisions based on what he believed was best for his patients, whether they liked it or not.

'_She shouldn't be talking to them right now; especially after last night. I shouldn't even be letting her step out of the unit, considering what she tried to do yesterday.'_

It was only the truth. Visiting didn't take place within the unit the patients were housed in. It was done elsewhere in the hospital, and Edward didn't feel comfortable allowing the girl to roam out of the area she was currently meant to stay within. But regardless of his feelings, he knew it would have been cruel to deny her visitation with her parents. He hadn't promised it would be the present day, since visiting hours had already passed some time ago. They would just have to try for another time and make sure it worked for all of them. Winry had asked for 'Open Visitation' but he had been quick to deny that. That gave her rights to visit with her parents' everyday, and he just didn't think that was the greatest idea at the moment. Maybe she would get permission later in the months, but presently, it just wasn't happening in his eyes.

"Slacking off, Edward?"

The voice instantly dampened his mood, making his hands clench into his pockets, his body tensing up and preparing for a battle of wits.

"No more than you," he answered, turning around to face a very smug looking medical director.

Roy emitted a hearty chuckle, observing his surrounding and all of its patients while casually walking around the room.

"That's harsh. I'm the reason you have a job. You should be praising me and congratulating me on a job well done for today," Mustang explained proudly, his voice holding subtle sarcasm.

"You're not a five year old, you prick. I don't need to praise you," Edward hissed.

Roy waved a finger and slid his eyes shut, allowing another chuckle to rumble within his chest and escape from his mouth.

"But you praise your patients consistently. Do my eyes deceive me, or are they really toddlers in disguise?"

Dr. Elric rolled his eyes and turned his back to the man, stepping out of the Day Room, instead choosing to hold their conversation out of hearing range of the teenagers within. However, he kept an eye on them from the viewing window placed on the side nearest to the nurses' station. As he expected, Roy followed.

"A lot of them are mentally ill, Mustang. Don't be cruel," Edward answered finally.

Inside the room, both watched through the window as some patients continued to watch the television, despite the fact that a boring commercial was airing, while others busied themselves with puzzles, board games, and books.

"I'm aware. I wouldn't be the medical director here if I didn't know that much."

Edward grunted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then stop acting like a heartless bastard."

An awkward silence ensued for a short moment, before the blonde had decided to break it, turning his eyes away from the window and instead focusing on the one beside him.

"By the way, you actually going to make it on time to my dinner party this year?"

Mustang arched a brow and carefully looked down at the other.

"Come again?"

"My birthday, you idiot," Edward explained testily.

A look of understanding soon crossed the man's face and a smirk followed along shortly after.

"That's right. You're going to be turning twenty next month, aren't you?"

The young doctor slowly nodded, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, so don't go getting me another boring medical textbook this year. I have enough to last me a lifetime in my reference room at home."

"Hey, it's the thought that counts," Mustang pointed out.

"Well you weren't thinking, so unfortunately that doesn't apply to you," Edward muttered.

Roy shrugged and turned his eyes back to the window, watching as one of the patients slowly began to start bouncing in place, making him sigh. That boy was never going to break that terrible habit.

"Well what would you like?"

Dr. Elric stepped away from the window of the Day Room and slid his hands out of his pockets, moving to turn away from the medical director.

"For starters, you can work on giving me a much needed vacation and a guarantee that you'll answer your cell phone the next time I try to bitch at you for being late."

Roy pushed his fingers calmly through his hair and watched as the young medical professional began to make his way off the unit. Waving casually back to him, he turned his eyes back to the window and widened his confident smirk.

"I'll see what I can do."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The remainder of the day was spent almost leisurely for Winry in her room. She used her hours to try and cheer herself up. In her mind, she was going to be out of this place very soon. A few words to her parents and a promise to straighten herself out at home, and she was certain she would be released. The thought alone had actually put a smile on her face, despite the fact that Hawkeye was still looming over her.

Winry remained at her desk, doodling on scratch paper and rewriting her name repetitively to see how fancy she could make it. She often continued to think of Paninya, but her stubbornness kept her from asking on what happened to the girl. She didn't believe it could possibly be anything that bad. Paninya had tried to escape with her, so she most likely was having a one on one just like herself. Winry almost felt sorry for the poor fool who had been chosen to carry out the job. Her friend was most likely tormenting them. She could picture Paninya asking random questions and making silly faces at the unfortunate man or woman. Her roommate was probably having so much fun, that she had forgotten to even visit the Day Room.

"It's getting late, Winry. You should start preparing yourself for bed."

The sudden interruption in the blonde's activities had caused her to slump over the desk and grip her pencil a little tighter. She should have known the woman was going to say something sooner or later. She had bothered her earlier to go to dinner. Winry didn't want to go to bed yet, and she didn't want to prepare for it. She had been sleeping a good portion of the day away, and now she felt as though she were wide awake. She wasn't jumpy as she was earlier, but a little more relaxed. In the Day Room, she had began to come to terms on where she was, but the second she had gotten approval from Dr. Elric on visitation, her thoughts on getting out brimmed high once more.

"Winry?" Hawkeye's voice rang out again, slightly impatient.

"I heard you," she answered irritably.

Sliding the chair back, the girl dropped her pencil on the wooden desk and turned on her heels to march into the bathroom to take her evening shower. She had already tucked away her pajamas inside and the white towels they had given her for the day. Personally, Winry felt it was all a bit much- One towel for the floor, one washcloth for her face, one for her hair, and another for her body.

"At least they aren't blue," she sighed.

Unfortunately, much to Winry's dismay, she had been told to leave the bathroom door halfway open in order for Hawkeye to continue successfully carrying out her job. Needless to say, her entire shower time felt violating and awkward. The only thing that had kept her from snapping out protests was her forced belief in the early discharge she planned to get from her parents. She wouldn't have to deal with any of this much longer, and that alone kept her calm throughout the rest of her preparation for bed.

Once she had finished cleaning herself up, Winry crept out of the bathroom and flicked off the lights, shuffling her way onto her mattress and underneath her blanket. She knew she was going to have trouble sleeping. She felt anxious now. She wanted to see her parents as soon as possible. Winry wasn't excited to actually visit with them, but more along the lines of demanding they help in releasing her. Dr. Elric had told her that she would adjust here with given time, but she wasn't willing to stay and wait that long. It wasn't safe in this hospital, and she knew the reasons why.

The sounds from the hallway lessened and the careful flipping of pages from Hawkeye's book came to a close. The woman did not leave Winry's room, but apparently she had finished reading for the night. All the patients were heading to bed, while the nurses distributed the medication to the ones who had not been present in the Day Room for the line up. Winry found herself surprised when Dr. Elric had been the one to personally come to her door to give her what she needed. She knew he could probably see how frightened she was underneath her covers. It most likely confused him as well. Winry had been feisty and snappy during the afternoon, bright and relaxed in the early evening, and now she appeared to be shaky and scared for bedtime.

Edward stood at the side of the doorway and carefully maneuvered his way inside, stopping at the corner of her bed. It was unlike most doctors to stay around this late, but Dr. Elric tried to take pride in his work and distinguish himself from other medical professionals in a positive way. Sometimes it proved useful, and sometimes it didn't.

"Winry, how are you feeling tonight?" he whispered.

He could tell she wasn't comfortable. She was aware of her surroundings, but she still appeared to be frightened.

'_A lot of patients get shaken up at night. She's probably just suffering from a little anxiety,' _Edward reasoned to himself.

When he received no response from the girl, he kneeled down at her bedside, lifting up a paper cup to her line of vision.

"I contacted your parents this evening. They agreed to meet with you tomorrow afternoon. You should be getting to sleep. I was also told you weren't out there to get your medication, so I brought it to you."

Winry lifted the blankets higher over her chest, shaking her head quickly. She didn't want any medicine going into her system tonight. She had had enough all day long.

"Winry, you have to take your medicine," Edward insisted, pushing the cup a little closer to her bundled form. When he received another silent stubborn rejection, he decided to use other means of making her cooperate. He had worked with her earlier about visitation, so she would just have to work with him on this.

"I don't want to cancel the meeting tomorrow with you parents. But I really can't have you off of the unit if you start refusing to take your medication."

He could tell that his words had made a desirable impact on his patient. He wasn't picking on her. He would have had to have done this with any other that refused to cooperate with him.

"No. You can't do that," Winry whined.

This was all a new behavior to Edward. It was making his head spin and making him rather confused. He wasn't used to the girl's timid attitude. He had spoken to her once at night before, but she had been with her roommate. And even then, she hadn't exactly responded back to him. But now she sounded so scared and desperate.

"I don't want to do that. But I need you to help me on this, Winry. This is going to help you sleep."

In truth, she did want some assistance in falling asleep, but at the same time, she also didn't want to feel as though this medicine taking routine was going to be something she would have to get used to. And ontop of that, Winry didn't feel comfortable sleeping now that she knew she was in possible danger. However, she knew if she continued to refuse, her persistent doctor would eventually choose to cancel her visit the following day with her mom and dad- a vital meeting she needed in order to get herself out of the treatment center.

Reaching forward, Winry gingerly took the paper cup from the young doctor and reluctantly placed it to her lips, allowing the pills to slide into her mouth and down her throat. With a bit of help from some water at her desk, it had all gone down smoothly.

Edward gripped at the bed for balance as he got back to a standing position, looking down at the girl and nodding his head in approval. Once she finished with the cup, he took it back into his hands and tossed it carelessly to the side into a nearby wastebasket.

"That's better. The medicine is going to make you drowsy so you'll feel more relaxed," he explained.

Winry remained silent, but nodded her head in understanding. She wasn't used to having sleeping pills. The first few days being here, the nurses had only given her medication for her depression. Now she was being placed on pills for her anxiety and ones to help her sleep.

"Can you open your mouth so I can see?"

Once Edward had determined the pills were gone and swallowed, he decided that it was best he leave the girl alone. He knew she didn't want to talk to him; she had made that clear in the afternoon. Besides, Winry had had a long day. He felt that the best thing he could do for her now was just to let her rest and continue her treatment plan to get her fairly stabilized.

Peering down as she parted her lips, Edward took a quick look and slowly moved back after he was finished. Getting too close to her mouth had somehow made him uncomfortable. He had experienced the same agonizing feeling the night he had saw more than he should have while sedating her.

"Good. Now you just get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he mumbled.

Edward cleared his throat awkwardly and turned to head back to the bedroom exit. He knew Hawkeye was staring at him, but he paid no attention to it. What the hell did everyone expect? He was nineteen years old and tending to patients only a couple years younger then he was. It could only be considered natural that he had shameful thoughts ever so often.

Shuffling out of the room, he soon started down the hall briskly. He felt so embarrassed and ashamed! His cheeks were burning and his body felt a little wobbly. This was not the proper time to feel so suddenly attracted to someone. But what could he do? Edward had thought about it earlier, but he didn't have any intentions on getting closer than necessary. Although he calmly started to reason with himself that finding a patient attractive wasn't a crime.

'_But acting on those thoughts are,' _he warned.

Despite all the stares he felt as he stepped off the unit, Edward continued to ignore all of them, instead choosing to redirect his destination to the front desk of the hospital. He needed coffee, and lots of it. And who better to ask than the grumpy old Farrah?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Inside of the hospital room, Winry stared up blankly at her ceiling, a million thoughts racing through her mind. She almost couldn't wait for the medication to take effect and guide her into a peaceful sleep. She had too many worries and unwelcome memories coursing through her, and her body begged for it to stop.

On another note, the young Rockbell had also been pondering her doctor's actions earlier. It had taken her a good twenty minutes to let it register, but all of it eventually sunk in. Receiving the medicine from Dr. Elric had been an easy enough process, but opening her mouth and letting him peek inside had been an interesting scene. Winry had done as she was told, but Edward had seemed hesitant to get too close. His eyes had appeared wide and almost uncomfortable. She even thought she had seen a hint of pink appear on her doctor's cheeks. The room was dark, so she refused to jump to too many conclusions. But she could have sworn she had seen him blushing. However, she also didn't count out the fact that it could have very well been a product of the many medication effects. If it wasn't, then surely she would have thought about it earlier.

Closing her weary blue eyes, Winry gripped at her blanket and turned her head into the side of her pillow. Everything in her mind was getting hazy. Her body was beginning to give into the medication and her surroundings were fading away. She didn't notice Hawkeye watching her, and she could no longer hear the occasional footsteps down the hallway. Instead, she willingly let herself fall into silence, accepting the welcoming sleep that beckoned her. Winry allowed only one more thought to drift through her head before slipping away into her peaceful slumber.

'_That blush…Must have been my imagination.' _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Silverbell: So yes, there you go… I wanted to squeeze more in, but that would easily make a chapter all in itself. So I saved it for next time. Hope you enjoyed this! Read and Review! No flames please. You know who you are! I felt this chapter may have been a little confusing with Winry's feelings... But she's kinda have a mood swinging day. Sorry about that!


	8. The First Cut

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The night that had passed Winry by through the seemingly long hours had proved to be dreadful and quite restless. Multiple times through Winry's medicated sleep, she found her arm often slipping off of the small bed, lazily dangling in perfect position for the sensitive alarm to detect. And it had proven to cause an unnecessary movement of nurses back and forth from their work station. Eventually, it had come to pushing the entire bed a few generous inches away from the device and steady 'encouragement' for Winry to attempt to rest in a safe position with her arms neatly tucked away if possible. Yet, despite their efforts, their blonde patient continued to rouse from her slumber and trigger the alarm. Although, it was no longer proving to be an issue with her accidental arm slipping, Winry was so obviously having a persistent bladder problem. Perhaps it was her nerves, or simply just a bad night, but eventually the bathroom visits did come to a stop and the nurses were given a nice break from their overly consistent check in's with the girl.

However, with morning soon arriving shortly after, Winry was not the brightest bundle of sunshine in the hour of her waking. She felt terribly exhausted, excluding the fact that she had been given sleeping medication to combat her restlessness. Her hair was in hopeless tangles, and her entire form screamed of fatigue.

'_Some sleeping medication… It feels like it did the exact opposite for me. But then again, if it weren't for all my bathroom visits, I'd probably have gotten some good sleep.' _

Winry slipped out of bed with a small shrug, leaving her blankets and sheets rumpled with her uneven movement. Her usual effortless routine to prepare for the day had been replaced with a more cautious approach for the particular morning. After all, she was supposed to be speaking with her parents, and she didn't want them to see her trudging up to them and looking physically broken down with matted hair and wrinkled clothing. For what parent in their right mind would ever consider negotiating a release for their child from a psychiatric ward if the said child looked worse for wear?

There wasn't much Winry could do to make herself look more presentable. None of her usual favored outfits were placed within her bland hospital wardrobe- Nothing but a long slew of dingy short sleeved shirts and a couple pair of tasteless pants. Her parents had done most of her packing, after all. Winry had only managed to pack other small things, all of which were confiscated in the end. But it hadn't bothered her in the beginning; seeing as how she had no reason to try and impress anyone. She had no desire to, and with good reason.

In the past, Winry had always liked to think that she took pride in appearance. As far back as she could remember, she had styled her hair, dressed in good fashion, and held her head high in confidence. She didn't believe she could pull off such a look today, but she was going to make sure she put some effort into it. The first decision was what to wear. She had gone through her small drawers repeatedly, yet had found nothing dazzling to catch her eyes. She had expected as much. In the end, Winry made do with a faded baby blue shirt and light gray sweatpants. In her opinion, she felt she looked more appropriately dressed for a morning jog than anything else- minus the tennis shoes. Her hospital slippers were far more comfortable.

'_I'd rather not wear blue of all colors, but I guess it can't be helped.'_

Blue had become a tragic color for her as of late, and she fully chose to blame the hospital. If they had only taken extra care in their interior decorating, then perhaps Winry would feel more at ease with the usual soothing hue.

But now what to do with her hair? Winry washed it to the best of her ability and brushed it countless times to rid herself of the tangles that had formed the night before, yet she couldn't manage to bring her usual shine back into it. It seemed that without her helpful powder room products, she was stuck with dull, flimsy hair. But every attempt she made to alter her physical appearance in a positive light would have to suffice. If there was one thing she felt the need to be relieved for, it was the ladies usual desire to apply makeup. Winry didn't indulge in cosmetics. Perhaps a light blush from time to time or a touch of lip gloss, but it usually had never been needed. Thankfully, her thoughts were the same residing in this place. Still, she felt deep sympathy for her fellow patients who enjoyed makeup as a confidence booster. What a way to shoot someone's self esteem by taking it away.

Glancing herself over in the mirror, Winry felt mildly satisfied with her appearance. It had even brought a genuine smile to her lips as she gazed on. She cautiously wondered if Edward would notice her brighter fashion change. Her three days previous, Winry had done little to perk herself up. She had been too busy pinpointing all of her dislikes about hospitals and doctors-not that her views had changed, but today just had to be different.

'_Why should I care if he notices? I'm only doing this for myself. Nobody else…'_ Winry thought stubbornly.

He was the whole reason she was still stuck where she was. If he really believed he knew what was best for her, he would have already worked on getting her discharged. Instead, he gave her injections and medications to blanket any pain she was feeling.

"Stupid Dr. Elric."

Winry could admit that she was being very childish at the moment and rather unfair. She had somewhat wanted approval from her doctor, but felt far too ashamed to let herself accept it.

Leaning lightly against the large brown door of the bathroom, Winry's fingers traveled to her lips, gently allowing her nails to glide over the surface. Her medication truly must have been powerful. She could still clearly see that hint of pink on Edward's cheeks. He had asked her to open her mouth to make sure she swallowed the pills, but his eyes that night had almost startled her. They had looked lost, and almost curious. Perhaps it had all just been some clouded hallucination. Winry had even chalked it up to a trick of the light. But deep down, she wasn't so sure she even believed her own explanations. How could she when it had seemed so real?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The morning for Edward wasn't turning out to be all that wonderful either. The young doctor felt frustrated and unbelievably guilty for approving a visit for Winry and her parents. By all rights, his patient did have her just reasons in order to meet with her mother and father, yet at the same time he knew that it wasn't going to turn out well. Edward knew Winry's intentions and he fully expected it to result in failure. He had already had a meaningful conversation with the couple, and they had all come to an agreement that the girl definitely needed long term help for her problems. Edward had personally been told by Winry's mother that her daughter simply wasn't functioning well out in the world anymore. And it hadn't been as though it was nothing more than some simple phase. Something was wrong, and nobody could push Winry enough to talk about anything of real importance. As far as Dr. Elric could visibly see from his observations, his patient still appeared to be a victim of abuse. He couldn't truly determine if it had been sexual or not, but it was something he wished to talk to her about. Again, he realized a therapist would be better suited, but Edward's own curiosity was raging, so he found himself wanting to discover the truth on his own.

'_Maybe a boyfriend? Her Father?' _he thought carefully.

Edward never ruled anything out, so the possibility of Winry's dad abusing her couldn't be dismissed. He really didn't believe Sara Rockbell had done anything. It wasn't just because she was a woman either. He was not aiming to be sexist with his considerations.

Edward's fingers shuffled expertly through his patient's growing file, casually glancing over her basic information-her age, birthday and summary of her condition. While doing so, his body leaned lazily back in a chair, nibbling on a pen he had previously been writing with.

"You know, you realize you look more like a cop trying to solve a crime than a doctor?"

Edward felt his teeth sink deeper into his pen, receiving a terrible urge to bite it in half.

"As I've said before, at least I _do _my job," he grumbled, turning his eyes to the door of his office. He was instantly met with the eyes of none other Mustang.

"I do work, Edward. I just have more leisure time," Roy explained, shutting the door behind him.

Edward snorted and turned his head away, placing his attention back on his files.

"I find that hard to believe. Someone like you should be drowning in work. Yet, it seems the only thing you're focused on is your next date for upcoming evenings."

Roy shrugged his shoulders, taking a step closer to glance at Edward's current interest.

"And it appears as though the only thing you're focused on is this girl," he stated, reaching down to grab the partially organized folder. "Who just happens to be one of your _many _patients, Dr. Elric. Is she someone special to you?"

Edward tensed and threw the pen from his mouth, allowing it to clatter on the desk before him.

"I barely know her, you bastard. She's only been here for four days. She's headed for long term."

Mustang tilted his head carefully, viewing Winry's photograph with mild interest.

"It's for the better. Young ladies like her shouldn't look at life so miserably."

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Says the jerk who has no worries in the world."

With a moment of silence ensuing soon after, Roy moved to set the folder back on the desk, arching a brow as the blonde teen before him so casually threw his legs up onto the wooden surface, leaning further back in his seat. His lab coat hung lazily off of his shoulders as one hand moved to shield his eyes.

"As you know, I approved a visit with her parents today. They'll probably be here within the half hour. I told them to come after breakfast," Ed mumbled.

Roy gave a nod.

"I'm aware. I plan to personally monitor that visit myself."

Edward lifted a few fingers to reveal his hidden eyes, staring carefully at the medical director.

"You don't do that often. Any particular reason?" He asked.

Roy slowly offered another nod and chuckled.

"I have worked with her parents before a few times. Although I admit, I never saw their daughter often. I barely recognized her in here. I never expected to see her in a place like this. It really is a shame."

Edward said nothing and merely lowered his eyes back to the folder. He did agree. It _was _a shame to see someone with such a fiery spirit get placed in such an institution. But she did obviously need the help, so his nagging guilt for keeping her confined was highly unnecessary. However, it never did feel pleasing to him to keep people locked away against their will.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even took this job," Edward sighed, reaching his hand across his chest to fidget with his opposite shoulder. His fingers rubbed their way through his clothing gingerly.

Mustang allowed a smirk to play on his lips.

"Because it was a golden opportunity to straighten out that life of yours," he answered confidently, reaching out to let one hand slide across the shoulder that Edward had been subconsciously tending to.

"Speaking of which, you should start getting yourself fixed up again. It's been a good time. I'll leave you a check in your office drawer later to cover the expenses."

Edward flinched at the man's words and felt an uneasy lump form in the back of his throat. His expression bordered on one of an unsettling nature.

"I have enough, Mustang," he choked out, sounding almost hurt.

Of course he expected Roy to ignore his words, which he did. The man offered him a quick squeeze to the same shoulder, before moving away. He didn't seem bothered at all by Edward's obvious discomfort.

"Don't be ridiculous. Think of it as an early birthday gift. So stop procrastinating and set yourself up. Understand?"

Mustang could be such a jackass.

Edward continued to avoid his gaze, but simply gave a nod, keeping his back fully turned to the one behind him.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Winry's preparations eventually skipped to the status of completion and her mind willed her to smile at everyone- even Hawkeye who persistently kept careful watch over her throughout breakfast and then some. Winry had been painfully aware that the woman had always suspected that she was a little lost in the head. After all, Winry had been heard talking to herself in the bathroom. She would have rather liked to see it as 'thinking out loud', but when one such as herself was in a building such as this; there was no point in trying to convince anyone. Slowly but surely, she was learning and beginning to understand that.

Currently, she found herself sprawled across her bed, feeling the minutes tick by ever so slowly. She had butterflies in her stomach and her chest was heavy with worry. She was quite aware that Dr. Elric's warning of 'guilt tripping' would not be tolerated, but she sure was gonna try. If she remained here, Winry held no doubt that eventually she would descend into madness, and ultimately the doctors _would _have a reason to keep her locked up.

Winry's hadn't meant any harm while staying with her parents. She realized her attitude had shifted, but she had never meant to be a bother. But ever since that night; that party… things had never been the same.

"There you are, girly. Long time no see."

Winry had been wondering where her pesky roommate had gone to. She hadn't seen the girl since their attempted escape together.

"Where have you been?" Winry asked quietly, partially opening her eyes to look at the other.

Paninya gave a sheepish smile to Hawkeye by the door, before slipping fully inside the room. By all rules, she actually wasn't allowed inside if she wasn't an official roommate, but surprisingly, Winry's 'security' had let it slide.

"The Quiet Room. They have two, you know? I heard you had the same problem. Restraints and the whole nine yards, yeah?"

Winry didn't find the topic so suitable and cheery, but she had managed to somehow acknowledge her.

"Yeah…"

Paninya stepped over to the window, placing one hand on the glass, carefully eyeing her faint reflection with a smile.

"Come on Winny, it's not the end of the world. Dr. Elric caught ya, didn't he? I told you he's one hell of a runner," she beamed proudly.

"You say that as though he should get a crummy award for his accomplishments on catching runaways," Winry whispered bitterly.

Her cheerful roommate spun on her heels and rocked lightly till her entire frame rested against the bedroom walls by the window. With a broadening smile, she shrugged.

"Hey, hey, I was told you would have gotten flattened like a pancake by oncoming traffic, so yeah, I'd give him the crummy award. I'm grateful."

The response had been pathetically blunt, but sincere. Winry didn't expect Paninya to say such things. Her roommate had been grateful that her life had been spared. The moment alone had managed to lift her spirits and bring some comfort back into her body. At least it showed that someone, as silly as they were, still somehow managed to care for her despite being in a treatment center as well.

"So hey… did you get drugged?" Paninya asked.

Winry twitched at the vivid flashback of the unwelcome injection.

"I did," she answered, pulling her pillow close to her chest. She didn't care if Miss Riza was listening either. It wasn't as though they were shamelessly planning another escape. It wouldn't be needed if she could get through to her parents.

"Yeah? Wasn't it awesome?" Paninya sighed, fluttering her eyes.

Winry never could quite grasp what made her roommate tick, but she had determined eventually that she definitely had to have some screws loose in that head of hers.

"Far from it, Paninya. It might as well have turned my stomach inside out," Winry huffed.

She truly could not see nor understand the joy Paninya experienced at the threat of being sedated. Perhaps her own tolerance level was merely lacking.

"I don't really even remember him grabbing onto me," she continued. "But I do remember feeling like crap when I came to; only to find Edward looming over me with his goodie two shoes nurse, Rose."

Winry knew the last part had been uncalled for. Rose had never been rude to her or sarcastic. She definitely appeared to look agitated at times, but she knew it had been because of her rebellious behavior. Still, she couldn't bring herself to take back what she had said.

"Winry… watch your words," Hawkeye reminded her quietly from the doorway. She had been busy reading through one of her novels again, but had steadily been making sure no unwelcome topic was discussed. The mention of Rose had caused her to correct Winry and politely remind her that insults were not tolerated. The young blonde chose to remain silent and pretend that the words had never been spoken.

"Ooh, Winny, comfortable enough to move to a first name basis, huh?" Paninya teased.

"Winry pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"It just goes to show that I don't hold enough respect for him to even give him the title of doctor. I don't even consider _that _much of a title anyways." She drawled.

"That's a shame. And here I was about ready to compliment you on your effort of appearance today. But anyways, just to let you know…I prefer informality with names, but I'm still not sure whether I should be insulted by you or not," a sudden voice called out.

It figured. The second she mentioned the man, he just happened to be looming around. And although she knew an apology was in order, she stubbornly pushed it back. Apologizing would crush the last bit of pride she had left. And there wasn't much, she knew.

"Are my mom and dad here?" Winry asked, turning her eyes away from Paninya and focusing her attention on the young doctor now standing at her door. Hawkeye had somehow crept away, but Winry knew it had only been because Dr. Elric was present.

"They are. I came to get you and bring you to them," Edward said, taking a small step back and waving a hand for her to come forward.

"The visit is a good half hour. Remember what I said though, Winry. Let's make this a good experience, okay?"

Yeah, right. She had no intention of casually talking about the weather with her parents. She would just have to work quickly with her words in order to get the desired outcome. But she wouldn't tell _him _that.

"Yeah, I understand," Winry allowed herself a gracious nod as she slipped out of the bed and moved to the doorway.

Her legs wobbled with her walking, but she quietly told herself that it was just her nerves. This was an important visit for her, and messing it up would be tragic.

"Good luck there, girly. Go get 'em," Paninya called out.

Winry told herself that the visit would be good if she could successfully convince her parents to get her released. She had no idea what she would do if she got out, but anything would be better than her current situation. She could possibly take steps to helping herself. It seemed like wishful thinking, but that was all she needed at the moment. If she so decided to ultimately isolate herself in her room, then she felt that everyone should give her enough respect and grant her the true privacy she wanted. But there was an obvious trust issue concerning her safety. Winry knew that, but she didn't want to truly acknowledge it. She didn't genuinely want to acknowledge any of her problems. And that would make her efforts of recovery shift into nothing but a faraway dream.

And dreams… never came true. Not in her eyes.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The walk to the chosen visiting room location had Winry rather anxious. She was walking down the same hall she had attempted her earlier escape. It had all turned out to be a massive failure, but Winry was satisfied just knowing that she had at least tried.

"Well, here we are. You ready to go inside?"

Edward stopped at a single door down the long hall, curling his gloved fingers around the knob. He was being very patient. He wasn't nearly as eager as Winry was to march into the room. The blonde next to him was a stubborn girl, and regardless of what he had said, he knew she would take the conversation to the extreme. It was sad because he had been quietly hoping to himself that Winry had enough sense to throw in the towel when defeat was apparent. Dr. Elric knew her position better than she did. She would not be leaving early, and it was proving difficult to make her understand that.

"I'm ready," Winry whispered, keeping her eyes focused on the door before her.

But it turned out that she wasn't as ready as she had thought she was- far from it. Her expectations had only been to see her parents that day. But another guest, aside from Edward had been present, which was completely unexpected and overall… unwelcoming.

The room itself wasn't at all impressive as Winry had already imagined. The same bland walls and flooring, with a simple square table centered perfectly in the middle of the room. Five chairs were neatly settled by as well, with an obvious three occupied.

Winry was not pleased at all with her present situation. Her eyes traveled to her sitting mother and father, before they slid wearily over to the one seated across from them. Her body instantly stiffened.

"Why is he here?" Winry tried to keep her tone even, but she clearly could hear the uneasiness weave through her words. The medical director was present, and she didn't appreciate his company at all. She had been trying so hard to avoid him, only to meet him again under such cruel circumstances.

"The director rarely accompanies a patient with their visit, Winry. He's interested in discussing your planned treatment while you're here," Edward explained, shutting the door behind him.

He could already feel the tension in the air. It was so thick, he mused that he could possibly cut through it with a knife. In his opinion, he felt that Winry most likely believed she was being cornered. Her parents _were_ going to support her, but just not in the way she would like. Neither would the director.

"I don't care. I don't want him here," Winry snapped, her voice wavering. However, her attitude was rarely tolerated in the presence of her parents- specifically her father.

"Winry, Roy Mustang is a good friend of ours. He's helped us numerous times in the past, and he's aiding us again by caring for you here. Do not be so disrespectful," her father boomed.

Mustang held one silent hand up and kept his eyes closed, not appearing to show much offense to the blonde girl's sharp words.

"It's quite alright. I never got to truly have a meaningful conversation with her while she's been here. No doubt she trusts her doctor more so than myself. Dr. Elric has been very attentive to her. He's one of our best."

Edward was somewhat flattered, but he had heard enough approval and dazzling compliments to last him a lifetime. But perhaps it meant just a bit more coming from Mustang for his own personal reasons.

Roy continued.

"However, I've still read through the file that she hasn't been too cooperative for the few days she's been here. But I'm sure over time things will get better. Group therapy and other methods of treatment can be quite effective."

The Rockbells nodded attentively, although Sara often glanced over to give her daughter a sympathetic stare. Winry paid no attention to it and stepped forward, slamming her hands on the table, fully interrupting their decision. Edward could only sigh and lean against the door. He wouldn't step in quite yet, but he knew he would have to, unless Roy did it first.

"There isn't going to be a treatment plan for me! I don't need one! Mom, please don't keep me in here! I hate it in this place!"

There was that guilt trip Edward had been expecting. It hadn't taken long at all. He almost wished he had been wrong.

"Winry, you just need a little time. Everyone here is going to take good care of you. Roy will make sure of that," Sara sighed, resting back in her seat with a deep frown. Her discomfort was becoming obvious; but then again, everyone seemed to look frazzled, aside from the medical director.

Winry bit into her lip hard, quite certain she would taste blood soon after from the pressure. They weren't listening! She couldn't stay in here! The source of her problem was in the same building! It would just make everything worse!

"You don't understand!" she shouted. Her anxiety began to flare up. Edward would have to end the visit any moment. It couldn't continue this way. He knew that for sure.

"Then help us understand. You need to talk to us," Sara kept her voice calm, remaining almost motionless in her seat. Her husband stayed deathly silent, but his thoughts were most likely the same.

But they would get nothing out of their daughter. Winry felt stubborn tears build up the corner of her eyes, her fingernails digging painfully into the table. Her parents looked concerned, but not passive enough as to give her the liberating ticket she needed to be free from this hospital.

Winry's eyes moved to Mustang in the seat across from her mother and father, her body warming up with panic as she focused on his expression. He was staring straight ahead, but she couldn't detect any nervousness in his entire frame. He was relaxed, silent, and had the most unusual, mastered poker face painted on him. Yet with closer examination, Winry felt her eyes widen when she gazed upon a subtle, but satisfied smirk forming on his lips. His eyes had even wandered over to her, causing an unwelcome lump to form in her throat. He wasn't worried at all, which caused Winry's courage and desire to dwindle. She wanted to tell someone-anyone… But that man intimidated her, and she feared what he would do if she were to stand up and speak.

Her gaze moved back to her parents, her legs shaking beneath her as she slowly leaned forward. She was failing. She was going to be stuck here, and they were just going to walk away! They couldn't do that!

"Just…take me home, mom. Please."

Edward had had enough. He didn't know how much longer Mustang was willing to wait, but he refused to allow the girl to continue to suffer with unreal expectations. He had waited because he thought she had been ready to open up, but her will had crumpled right before his eyes somehow, and she had gone right back to hopeless begging. He couldn't watch it anymore, and it was his responsibility as her doctor to end it.

"Winry, the visit's over. I gave you a warning. I have to take you back to the unit," Edward said with a heavy sigh.

As he had expected, his patient didn't answer, and instead chose to break herself into more desperate pleadings. He figured the removal of her parents would have to come first. He hated to do it, but then again, Edward knew he had foreseen all of this from the very beginning.

"Roy, can you please take Mr. and Mrs. Rockbell to the front? We'll have to reschedule," Edward said, a small apology linked carefully inbetween his request.

He knew the couple would understand. He felt sorry for bringing them in for a mere five minutes, only to see them right back out. At least now he knew that granting his patient another visit anytime soon would be out of the question. Edward understood that this situation was only playing out because of the decision he had made out of sympathy for Winry the day before. He knew that by ignoring his preferred logical thinking, he had openly indulged the girl in her beliefs on an early discharge. It had been cruel, but at the same time he had made it, he thought he was being kind. How horribly he had been mistaken.

"Mom? Dad? Where are you going? Wait! Please!" Winry breathed out, extending her one arm forward to grasp at open air while her parents removed themselves from their seats and gathered the few things they had been allowed to bring. Both had dared to give her a hug, but found the parting difficult, due to Winry's reluctance to let go.

However, Roy did eventually manage to guide them out, much to Winry's dismay. Her plan had gone down in flames. Her earlier efforts of dressing and preparing had been for nothing. The special treatment she had taken to her blonde hair had been a waste of time. Winry didn't want to look attractive in here if it meant facing that man every passing day. And just being in his presence again had managed to make her feel uncomfortable in her own body. She hadn't felt comfortable in it for a long time, and it proved to now make her feel worse that she had actually allowed herself to have even taken the time out to try and impress.

Winry understood that when she had first arrived, she had not been thrilled with lack of familiar products she had used at home. She wanted to keep her hair up, and she wanted to _try _and feel beautiful for herself-decent. But the encounter with Roy Mustang again had shot her back to the beginning, and caring for her physical appearance had dwindled once more. The only reason she had given it another try for this particular day had been crystal clear and quite obvious-Winry had wanted to get out.

"You can't do this. You can't leave me in here," Winry mumbled.

Edward could feel her body lean into his. Most likely, she wasn't aware of her actions. He was certain that he was the last person on her list who she would ever want to gain support from. Yet, he allowed her to stay the way she was, waiting just long enough for Mustang to get to the end of the hall with her parents in tow.

The walk back, once he had managed to guide her out of the visiting room, had been eerily quiet and calm. Edward found that moving her down one hall to the next was almost effortless. There had been times she suddenly stopped, but a nudge always managed to get her going again. Edward didn't believe Winry was falling out of awareness of her current situation. But he understood that she was definitely wallowing in self pity. She had placed all of her hopes on getting out with her parents this day, so he assumed she was feeling numb from the rejection. It wasn't as though she was a patient signed in for a good week or two. A year was a year-period. And he could understand anyone's reluctance to spend twelve long months locked away in a mental institution. It wasn't something most were proud to stick on their list of lifetime memories.

"Here you go, Winry," Edward said, guiding the girl to her bed.

He needed only to apply minimum pressure to her shoulders, before she allowed herself to sit down. Her hands instantly fumbled over to her lap, and her head lowered to avoid having to meet his eyes.

Edward didn't want to leave her alone, and by all rights, he should have tugged her along with him to seek out Hawkeye. Winry still needed careful monitoring, and unfortunately, he didn't have the free time to personally keep an eye on her. He fully trusted Riza anyways. Ontop of that, Edward felt that it was only fair to allow the girl some respectful privacy. Her former roommate was nowhere to be found, so it was giving her a chance to be alone with herself and possibly reflect on the words of her parents. It wasn't a right to give her such a privilege, but he was willing to give it a shot. Perhaps Winry would appreciate his token of generosity.

"You'd do well to rest for awhile. I can understand that the visit didn't go as smoothly as you would have liked," Edward said, moving himself back towards the door. "I have things to take care of, so I'll be bringing Riza back in here to make sure you'll be okay."

It really was a sloppy move on his part, but Edward didn't have the heart to nudge Winry from her spot. But as he had expected, she gave no response to his words and kept her head down. He didn't believe she really cared whether she was brought along or not. Regardless, he left his explanation as it was and walked out of the room. He really didn't believe there was much more he could say to make her feel better. Instead, he walked away with the excuse to bring Hawkeye in his place.

But now Winry was alone. She had been aware of the entire walk back to the unit, and had fought back the urge to yell and scream at the man leading her away from her parents. She had experienced a numbing sensation at first, but it quickly was molding itself into bitterness. Strangely enough though; that feeling of hers wasn't directed at her parents or that man called Mustang. Not even at the one who had brought her back into this room.

Winry was feeling bitterness towards herself. And she felt she had every reason to target herself too. She obviously had not been strong enough to stand up and face the problems and shame that had accumulated over a year. She hadn't been intelligent enough to have just stayed at her school party. She hadn't been sober enough to walk away from the car that night, and she hadn't been stable enough to keep herself out of this institution.

Winry let everything fall apart on the outside. She avoided her friends; she let her grades slip, and she had kept herself locked in her room, wearing nothing but baggy pants and formless shirts. It had been amazing to her that she still had the energy and the will to get herself up in the mornings. Everyday she looked in the mirror; she would peer into her reflection and sulk. But with the passing time, she had better learned to tolerate that girl on the other side. Winry had even started to work more carefully on her appearance. Everything else had still been miserable, but she had been happy to have at least found the strength to better care for herself. That had been why it was so important to continue when she had been placed in the hospital. In her opinion, liking yourself was one of the hardest things to do after experiencing what she had gone through. Wanting to care what she looked like had never seemed like such a chore. And yet, it had all been going well enough until her visitation hour. The medical director had been present. He had done well to speak so calmly and keep a good portion of attention on her parents, but Winry had caught his eyes quite a few times wandering where they shouldn't. He took notice to her appearance again and again, but had brilliantly played it off as though his occasional glimpses were necessary in order to talk to her. But Winry had not been fooled by the false concern.

But Dr. Elric lately was turning into a different story. Winry wanted to believe that he cared like he said he did, but because of her stubborn beliefs, she found it increasingly difficult to accept the fact that it was very possible for someone to care for her. She knew certain individuals did, but to truly accept it was a challenging effort. So instead of continuing to ponder such things, Winry willed herself to move from her bed and into the bathroom. She could feel those persistent tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. They were showing themselves lately a little too often for her liking. But washing her face with cool water had always helped before in the past, so she was more than willing to try her luck again this round.

Nobody had come to bother her as of yet, so she felt it was a chance to just be by herself, even if it was only for a few moments.

Winry flicked on the light as she stepped inside the tiny bathroom, lifting her head to face herself in the mirror. Her body leaned cautiously back against the door, letting it close as she gazed deep into her reflection. Despite the tears that currently were watering her eyes, the image in the mirror presented her rather well. Her hair was still neatly combed, and her skin was still smooth and so very soft. Winry almost wished she could find something ugly about her. She wasn't proud of her looks. Not anymore. She was afraid of them and she feared they would force her into trouble again if she attempted to show them off- just as they had done today. But she didn't know what to do to make these 'looks' go away. Cut her hair? Hide her face? The answer came to her so suddenly when she nudged herself forward to move her arms away from the door behind her. Winry had felt something sharp scrape against her skin. It hadn't been terribly painful, but it was enough to cause her some discomfort. When her eyes lowered to see the minor damage done to her arm, she couldn't help but feel intrigued. The graze to her skin did not look serious, but had left a rather unappealing mark. But Winry did not find herself all that upset with it. In fact, she was finding herself growing content with just looking at it. It was a flaw… very small, but definitely a start. But what had caused it?

Winry tilted her head down to examine the door. Everything appeared to look harmless. She even traced her fingers around the center and the sides, yet felt nothing but a continuous smooth surface. The source of the scrape had to have come from somewhere, but she just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't until her fingers glided along the metal plating did she realize something was off. The door had been created without a lock, so the design was rather different. The handle located on the outside was really nothing more than a bland sheet of smooth metal that curled at the top for one's fingers to pull at it in order to open it. But that was only on the outside of the bathroom. On the inside, the metal plating was flat with nothing more than a couple screws tucked within. All anyone would have to do was give it a firm push, and they could get out. But Winry wasn't interested in the design of the door at all. She was more curious about the screws that bolted the metal plating. Three of them as she could see were smooth and seemingly normal enough. But the last one she focused on had somehow come to receive a jagged edge at its tip. Winry even tested it a couple times to make sure the sharp feeling was not just caused by a product of wishful thinking.

But it wasn't. The bolt _was _there, and it _was _something that could do damage if used correctly.

Winry reluctantly moved her eyes away from the metal plate and took her focus back on the flimsy mirror. She could still see the soft scrape on her arm in her reflection. It was turning faintly red, disturbing the perfect continuance of ivory skin. It almost made her smile…almost.

She began to question her sanity once more as dangerous thoughts clouded her mind. She knew what she was preparing to do, but did it make her crazy? Winry didn't think so. It was just a simple means of making her unattractive. And that was what she wanted. What right did anyone have to take that away?

'_It will be quick', _she reassured herself, staring hard into the mirror before her. Her reflection didn't seem to believe so, but she ignored it and turned her back to the image, instead placing all of her attention back on the metal plating. Very carefully, Winry positioned the side of her arm alongside the damaged screw and applied pressure. It almost began to excite her as she guided her skin across the sharp tip. She could feel the edge slice into her flesh, gradually allowing hints of blood to appear. Winry was not aiming to end her life in this bathroom in such a gruesome way, but she did have her heart set on leaving some marks.

'_It's my body,' _she reasoned with herself. _'Nobody has the right to tell me what I can do with it.' _

After all, the incident that happened the night of the party had all been because of her body- because that man liked what he saw. But now she was determined to make sure nobody would ever like what they saw again. Not when it came to her anyways. Winry had tried! She tried to look in the mirror and like what was staring back at her. But how could she? How could she do that when it had caused all the problems?!

"And now that I'm stuck in here, I have to see him wherever I go," Winry mumbled.

That was something she really wasn't looking forward to. Whenever Roy's eyes met with her own, a fresh ring of chills erupted inside of her. It was never a comfortable feeling, and she would give anything to have someone guarantee her that she wouldn't feel it again. But she somehow doubted that anyone could make such a promise; which was exactly why she was choosing to take matters into her own hands. She had already managed to mar one arm with multiple cuts, and now she currently was working on the other.

"I hate him… so much," she whispered.

Winry's bitterness forced her to carry on with her task. The pressure to her skin became heavier and heavier. She could feel the air biting at the openings in her skin and it was ending up being quite painful. But she liked it. She liked it because it was ruining her reflection. It was ruining the perfect image that man seemed to like so much. And shattering that image was all she could think to do to make it better.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dr. Elric had finally managed to seek out Hawkeye. She had been on her lunch, so he had been given no choice but to wait at the nurses' station while they called for her. He had been tempted a few times to go back down the hall and check on Winry's condition by himself. Every part of him was frowning upon his decision to leave her alone. Edward had already messed up once by approving a visit, so he really couldn't afford to make too many more mistakes for his own sake. It's not as though he would get in trouble, but he wanted to do a good job for himself. He didn't like being wrong.

However, his inner debate on whether to check back on his patient or not was appropriately ended when Riza arrived to accompany him back to Winry's room.

She did not question his decision to keep the girl on careful watch. Dr. Elric was an excellent doctor. Winry was an unpredictable girl, so it was rather difficult to make the call on how long she should be watched for. But Edward had done it, so Riza was content to do as he asked.

But with their destination reached, Dr. Elric realized a rather obvious problem. The room was exactly as he had left it, aside from one thing- Winry had left her bed and the bathroom light was on. Edward could assume his patient had only gotten up to use the restroom, but he somehow doubted the likeliness. People in this hospital did not get upset and seek out the bathroom for its natural reasons. They used it as a shield to hide whatever they would so choose to do to themselves. There was no lock on any of those doors, but it brought a secret feeling regardless.

"Winry? Come on out of there, okay? You need to be where Riza can see you," he called out.

When he received no answer from the other side, Edward cleared his throat and stepped closer to the door, giving it a small knock in warning.

"Winry, I'm going to have to send Riza in there to get you if you don't come out," he stated calmly.

Dr. Elric was not willing to wait long, so he instructed the woman behind him to head into the bathroom and bring Winry out. His patient was not answering him, so it gave him full permission to forcefully have her brought back to her bed.

"Be easy with her, Riza," he mumbled, pocketing his hands back into his lab coat.

Edward allowed himself a step away to give the woman the room to get inside, but it didn't ease his frustration. He was pissed. This was the second time he had been wrong about this girl, and it upset him because he expected it each time. Why he allowed himself these silly mistakes was beyond him. His decisions on the job were not to be taken lightly, yet he had just done it twice in a row. His persistent need to sympathize with Winry was getting in the way, and it needed to stop. Dr. Elric knew that he meant well, but his lenient attitude was putting the girl in danger. And he just couldn't allow that. He was her doctor and it was his responsibility to make reasonable choices without harming Winry in the process, intentionally or not. She may not like whatever decisions he would decide to make for her in the future, but as long it kept her safe, Edward would have to endure her rebellious attitude. It was agitating, but his tolerance for it was surprisingly strong, if only because of his own attitude he carried while off the job. It was similar. If he had met Winry under different circumstances, they most likely would have clashed terribly; far worse than within here.

"Dr. Elric! We need you in here right now!"

Edward had taken an extra moment to identify the voice. It was clearly Hawkeye, but he had been so busy letting his mind wander; he hadn't been truly focusing on dealing with the task at hand- merely worrying about it instead.

But now that he was being summoned into the bathroom before him, he felt a little uneasy. Something had to be wrong. Winry wasn't stepping out on her own, and Riza wasn't guiding her back to her bed either. There was something that needed to be seen inside of the bathroom. Edward knew he would be naïve to believe that there was only a minor problem within. His patient had done something drastic. The thought alone continued to eat at him and only add to the terrible guilt he had felt earlier from his poor decision making skills.

He didn't want to see. He didn't want to see, because he had been the one to leave her alone. And what kind of doctor left their patients unattended when they so desperately needed the company in order to remain safe?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Silverbell: I finished the chapter! Yay me! Nice and long too, right? I hope it was to all of your likings! Please read and review! They are always so greatly appreciated! Love you all! I was hope it wasn't too crunched up and confusing. I nearly died trying to type the lot of it out in just a few days.


	9. The Truth

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Edward grimaced at the thought of what was awaiting him. He had seen this problem all too often, and it wasn't as though there was ever anything good that came out of it. He felt terrible because a large part of him had known the potential dangers of leaving Winry alone. It was an insult to him as a person and as a professionally trained doctor.

Edward was well served and knowledgeable in mental health and physical. He caught on and memorized things in months that most learned after years of worthwhile studying. To make such a brutal mistake was inexcusable to him. The few minutes that had gone by had been critical. It jeopardized his patient's safety. Edward sincerely wished that his thoughts were purely exaggerated, but he needed not to forget just what building he was in.

Winry was mentally ill. He had mistakenly given her the benefit of the doubt. He had tried to believe that she possessed enough stability to make it through the limited time he had provided her. He was so obviously wrong.

"Winry? I'm coming in, alright?"

Edward didn't expect his patient to answer. Although he had not yet confirmed her physical and mental state, he could confidently tell himself that the silence was a common factor in such situations. Besides, he wasn't even sure if the girl was conscious.

As he stepped inside the small area of the bathroom, he felt himself instantly try to find the problem. His first idea had been to scan the room with his eyes. There wasn't any scene of utter chaos and blood. There wasn't a gruesome image either. He was grateful, because in the past, he had seen many… They had not been his fault, but he never could imagine growing numb to such things.

Despite the lack of terror within the room itself, Edward soon found his golden hues traveling over and down to a small corner. It was there he located Hawkeye kneeling down beside his trembling patient. Winry had crunched herself up tightly in the bathroom corner and was currently resting her head against the wall with her eyes locked onto the ceiling above her.

It was at that moment that Edward truly believed he saw the level of instability inside of Winry. His mistake was truly apparent now. Aside from her terrible mental state, Dr. Elric soon discovered that her physical form was not at all untouched this round either. Her arms were a mess. The girl had sliced up her skin as though she had thought it was nothing more than scrap paper. He had seen the level of damage done by Paninya many times, but he had hoped that he would never have to see Winry do the same.

It shouldn't have happened, because it had been preventable. He should have protected her, and because he had failed to do, Winry found the opportunity to harm herself.

Edward was certain that he would beat himself up over it more in the later day, but he knew that for now, his top priority was fixing what had been done. The longer he stared, the higher the chances were of infection in all the open skin on the girl's arms.

"Winry, why would you do this to yourself?" he questioned softly, stepping over to the corner.

Hawkeye carefully moved herself back to give Edward the room he needed, although she also chose to search the room with her eyes in an attempt to find the object that Winry had used to mar her arms. She hadn't seen anything when she had stepped in, and even now as she tried to search, she could find nothing lying around that would have done anything to injure Winry to such a degree. She had even searched behind the shower curtain and all along the corners. Hawkeye had searched Winry the moment she stepped inside, and even then she could find nothing. But that didn't mean the girl didn't have anything on her. The woman had learned with experience that people in treatment centers were somehow very creative with ideas, and if they really put their mind to it, they could do the most frightening things. Hawkeye felt it was a sad way to use the mind, but then again, the patients that were housed in here were residing in the building for a reason.

While the search continued in the small bathroom, Edward moved to crouch beside the trembling girl and inspect her arms with utmost care. Her wrists were untouched thankfully, which made his fear lessen just a little. She still wasn't responding to him and her condition seemed to be increasingly worse than of what it was the night she had attempted an escape. It wasn't that Winry was in a panic, but her lack of response was disturbing him. Instead, she continued to stare hopelessly at the ceiling.

Taking in a deep breath, Dr. Elric turned his head to wearily look at the woman behind him.

"Riza… Please go get me some things from the nurses' station. I need to tend to all of this on her arms. I don't need any help from anyone else either. But I do want you to bring the medical director in here to me. I need to talk to him," he huffed out.

Roy Mustang was a bastard, but the man had helped him a lot in the past, and he had to admit that he felt a little lost after such a brutal failure. Edward could tend to Winry's injuries just fine on his own and take the steps to keeping her safe now, but being at his age, he still felt the urge to at least talk to someone who knew him well enough to give some advice about this situation. And who else could be better other than the medical director? He was certain Roy already expected his growing interest for Winry anyways. It was an unhealthy attraction and it was making him do stupid things. The man was fully grown and possibly had some tips for him when it came to dealing with female patients that were… a little too appealing to the eye for a doctor to truly stay comfortable and make reasonable decisions.

However, the moment Hawkeye stepped out to do as he asked; Edward was shocked at the sudden sound that pierced his ears. It was a chilling sound and for a moment, he couldn't figure out just what it was. But the second his head whipped back around to face Winry, he was shocked at her changing expression. Her lips were parted and her eyes were wide with fear. A terrible scream was erupting from her and he couldn't figure out why. She had been deathly silent all this time, and now so suddenly she decided to react.

Edward believed it could be a possible delayed reaction to what she had done to herself, but somehow he seriously doubted such a thing. Instead, he tried to reel back to what he had earlier said. Perhaps something he mentioned had startled her? He couldn't imagine what it was…

He spoke of tending to her. He mentioned canceling out nurses' assistance. And… he mentioned Mustang.

"_Why is he here?"_

"_I don't care. I don't want him here." _

The sound of Winry's distressing words at Roy's presence in the visiting room had suddenly coursed through his mind. He had guessed that his patient simply disliked the man for being head of the hospital, but he never would imagine she hated him to the point of screaming in such a way. But what else could it be? The first two things he had said were nothing to shout over, but neither was Roy. At least that's what he believed.

"Winry? Winry, what's wrong? It's going to be okay. You're going to be fine," he reassured her.

But a simple reassurance was doing little for his patient. She wasn't struggling with him, but her screaming only grew more frantic. She said no words, but her cries were desperate and sounded almost…helpless. It puzzled him as to why she was acting in such a way. Edward couldn't even think of anything to say that would make her stop. But he was a believer in trial and error, so he felt that at least testing out Winry's reactions to certain things would be beneficial for the time being. His first try was with Mustang…

"He's not coming in here. It's just going to me and you, okay? I promise. I won't let him come in here."

Edward believed that if Mustang was indeed the problem, it would ease her mind to now hear that she would not be seeing him. He had no idea as to why she hated him so much, but perhaps he reminded her of someone? He could readily admit that Roy was obnoxious sometimes, but usually… women adored him. But then again, Winry wasn't exactly grown. She was still in her teenage years and so it wouldn't apply regardless.

However, oddly enough, her screaming soon died down to a stunning silence with the company of a few sniffles. How suspicious and strange. Edward had mentioned Mustang and his patient went into a panic. He promised her his lack of presence and she calmed down. Surely she was reminded of a terrible event by just looking at the man. Edward wasn't sure who to feel sorry for...Winry or Mustang?

"It's just you and me. You see? Just us," Edward stated, holding his arms out for emphasis on the privacy they possessed at the moment.

Winry appeared to follow his words and let her eyes roam the bathroom to confirm. When she regarded their privacy as truth, she felt her pumping heart lessen to a gradual speed.

"Just…us?" Winry choked out.

Edward nodded his head as he worked on parting Winry's arms to keep them from rubbing against eachother. He didn't want to make anything worse while he waited for the things needed to care for the cuts on her skin.

"That's right..."

Winry seemed to consider him for a little longer as she kept her eyes focused on him. She hated doctors. She hated them with a burning passion, yet she felt now so suddenly safe with Dr. Elric being in the same room with her. She had felt contempt for him just hours ago, yet she now found she could not come up with another person she would rather have in the room with her at the present moment.

"Edward…Was I pretty?" Winry mumbled.

What an out of the blue, on the spot question. Had Winry realized he stared at her too often sometimes? The teenage girl was rather beautiful. She had not been here very long at all, but he had already grown interested in her feisty attitude and her good looks. If this had been a normal relationship, he would have been embarrassed to answer, but would have most likely answered truthfully. But his position as a doctor had put him in quite a predicament.

"Why the past tense…?" he asked quietly.

The sudden attention Winry placed on her arms had allowed him to piece together on just what she was trying to get at. The cuts to her skin had been an eager attempt to slash at her physical appearance. She thankfully hadn't gone for her face, but that didn't make the open wounds to her arms look or seem any better for a substitute.

"I don't want to look pretty anymore," she whispered, slowly shaking her head.

Edward frowned at her words and kept his eyes focused on her damaged skin.

"Why's that?"

He didn't expect Winry to ever speak to him about what was bothering her, but since she seemed to be opening up, he wasn't going to try and stop her from speaking to him. Perhaps he could finally get some questions answered.

"I just don't… want anyone to look at me anymore. Is that wrong?"

Winry sounded lost as she asked that question. Edward had a feeling that the girl truly wasn't sure as to whether it was right to want such a thing or if it was selfish or wrong. Dr. Elric was not female, but he could only attempt to imagine the reasons as to why the girl was no longer interested in being as beautiful as she was. However, as simple as the question was, Edward felt that he couldn't answer that one either. It wasn't something he would find in a textbook, so it was purely opinion based.

"Can you tell me why you don't want anyone looking at you anymore?" he asked slowly, avoiding answering what had just been asked of him.

If Edward could at least get some crucial information out of her, the short questions she was asking would most likely become clear. Dr. Elric was good with hunches, and he had already decided that Winry was most likely a victim of some type of abuse, but he wasn't certain on what type. The night his patient had attempted an escape, she had been quite sensitive to touch, so it was probably safe to assume something physical had been done to her. His first assumption had been sexual, but he was trying his best not to jump to conclusions. It was already puzzling enough with Winry's reactions to Roy Mustang.

Winry bundled herself up further in the corner of the bathroom, shuddering at the touches of her doctor's hands resting on her own. They didn't feel threatening, but she was confused at the stiffness and lack of soft skin on what appeared to be on Edward's right arm. But perhaps the pain she was feeling was finally making its impact and interfering with her simple sense of touch. She wanted to rub over his gloves to confirm and test the stiffness out, but she didn't dare.

"Can you please just let me go home?" she sighed, letting out a shaky breath.

Edward felt like shouting. Were they really going right back to step one again at the beginning? It was frustrating to him to always believe the girl was ready to tell him something, yet persistently would draw back almost instantly and plead with him on a release out of the institution.

"I can't do that for you, Winry. You see what you just did to your arms?"

He was certain that she could see just what she did, but he wasn't so sure she really cared. She didn't appear to show much concern at all.

"It's my body. It doesn't matter," Winry stated stubbornly.

Edward sometimes felt as though he were talking to the spiritual brick wall surrounding Winry, instead of speaking to the girl directly. She was terribly secretive and defensive. He could compare such conversations to pulling teeth. But as persistent as she was, Edward could do better. Patients could appreciate it, or choose to be annoyed with it. Winry just happened to be one that became agitated.

"No, it does matter. And regardless of it being your body, why would you want to damage it like this?"

Winry shrugged, remaining silent.

Edward felt his doctor role slipping and instead, his usual attitude was beginning to make its appearance…. And that usual attitude tended to be rather crabby, blunt, and pushy.

"If you were closer to me, I would have possibly choked you by now," he grumbled, continuing to hold on steadily to her hands.

Winry never failed to catch Edward's occasional, unprofessional statements. He tended to have a way with saying things that normal doctors would never dare mention while working on the job. It had only been a few days of knowing him, but she had gotten enough confirmations from fellow patients and her own observations to see that Dr. Elric was no ordinary doctor. His age was fascinating enough. However, the words that came out of his mouth this time were definitely straying away from medical lingos and social skills. Did he just say he would choke her if they were friends?

"That's not something a doctor should say, Edward," Winry reasoned.

"Yeah, well patients shouldn't call their doctors by their first name either," Edward countered.

Winry was at a loss on what to say. She could backtalk doctors all day long with smart, sarcastic comments till the world ended, but when the said doctor matched her up with a feisty attitude and smarts to boot, she grew somewhat confused and startled. She became… speechless.

"That's what I thought. Now your arms… Why did you do it? And don't give me the same excuse."

"You're pushier than I thought," Winry complained.

"You have no idea how pushy I can be. But we have all year, so I'm sure you'll start to learn."

What a way to rub it in. Winry didn't like hearing about the amount of time that was believed to keep her institutionalized. It felt like a sentencing in prison, and she didn't appreciate it at all.

"I'm not going to be in here for a year."

"You probably won't be if you start telling me about the things I ask you. And right now I'm asking you why you suddenly decided to cut up your arms like this," Edward grumbled.

Winry was silent for a long while as she peered down at her skin. The flaws were there now, but she didn't want to feel guilty for what she had done. She had her reasons, and they seemed perfectly justified to her. That _man _wouldn't want to look at her the same way if she made herself look unappealing. But how could she ever explain that to the one before her now?

"Did someone hurt you?" Edward asked quietly.

Was it that obvious? Winry knew that it probably was with how she acted. She flinched with touches and she was prone to keeping to herself as of late. Paninya got her attention as her former roommate, but the girl was bubbly so she proved hard to ignore.

Unknowingly, Winry wrapped her hands around Edward's, tensing at the thought and meaning of the question. It hurt more than the previous one. The previous question had been directed at her reason for causing damage to her body, but it didn't target the problem. Her doctor had directly asked her whether someone had hurt her or not, and it was hard to hide the truth. She could already feel her expression breaking to sorrow and pain as she registered with what he asked her.

Edward allowed the girl to squeeze his hands, and had even decided to hold onto hers as well with his own. He couldn't feel with one side, but the response was automatic. He just always had to be careful not to squeeze too hard by accident. He hadn't gone to repair that specific section just yet, so his recognition on pressure was slightly lost and underestimated as of late. It wouldn't bother him if Winry realized it, but he never had been one to proudly show it off.

"Winry, did someone hurt you? Give me their name."

Edward didn't really feel as though he had to wait to see what her answer would be. Her face had drained of all of its natural color the moment he had decided to ask her on whether someone had harmed her or not. He could easily see that someone had, but he was still terribly confused about the girl's earlier screaming at the mention of Mustang.

"Do men….intimidate you? Is that why you don't want to talk to the medical director?"

That would be rather odd, because although Edward could admit he wasn't a full grown man yet, he was still male. Winry was snappy with him, but she didn't appear to feel threatened by him in particular. He didn't want her to feel afraid of him, but just why was it only Mustang she seemed powerfully hostile towards?

Receiving nothing but complete silence, Dr. Elric sighed and tightened his grip more so on Winry's hands. He knew he was getting somewhere with her, but unfortunately; it was involving the force of pushing the girl to her breaking point. Edward knew he was pushy when it came to demanding answers, but the whole problem behind his new patient was already driving him crazy.

Maybe a different question was in order.

"Was it… a woman, maybe?" He guessed.

Winry shook her head quietly, trembling. Edward could see that she was growing uneasy with the conversation, but had decided to not fully back out. That was always good news in his book.

"A man…?"

He received a small nod and a wince. The cuts must have been bothering her by now.

"Did he hurt you?"

Again, he received another nod. At least now he knew a few vital things. Winry _was_ abused, but now he was going to work on seeing just how.

"And did he…touch you? Edward persisted.

It was then that he noticed a few small tears were beginning to trickle down the girl's face. He didn't think he even needed her to give him confirmation now. Edward believed that the presence of tears alone at a question usually meant that something had definitely hit home. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out such things either. It would explain why Winry had decided to slice her arms. Her attractiveness had gotten her in trouble with a man somehow, and they hadn't been too kind to her as a result.

Cautiously, Edward moved his left hand up to the girl's cheek to catch any of the tears with his gloved fingers, allowing them to soak quickly into the fabric. The action had startled his patient, but she didn't pull away. She was graciously choosing to accept his comfort for the time being. He even believed he had felt her nuzzle into him, yet it could have possibly just been his imagination. He had to admit that he wouldn't have minded it even if she did.

"Will… you tell me his name?"

To hear the story of how it happened was important as well, but if someone had done something to Winry, the person sincerely needed to be placed behind bars. If he could get a name out of the girl, they could at least take a step to having justice served. Every day that passed was another opportunity for another victim to be cornered. Edward didn't know how to handle women very well, but he felt it was a disgrace for men to ever touch a female without their consent or hurt them. If it were up to him, he would personally have no trouble beating them all black and blue for ever believing they ever had the right to put their hands on a woman in such a way.

Keeping his eyes focused on Winry, Edward pulled his hand away from the girl's cheek and waited to see just how she would answer him. He was asking for a name, and that quite possibly was one of the scariest parts of revealing the truth. Dr. Elric had spoken to other girls who had been victims of such crimes before, and he knew with experience that revealing the identity of the one who harmed them seemed to be quite a big issue. Possibly for safety reasons… Nevertheless, the name was an important step- A step to recovery and a step to justice. But justice wasn't always promised and the truth was known at times to be quite blinding. Edward knew all of this… So why did it shock him when Winry decided to reveal the name?

A name he was all too familiar with.

"His name is Mustang… Roy Mustang."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Silverbell: My college and job is really killing me here… I struggled so hard to finish this chapter for you guys. All the while I was trying to study in Criminal Justice and Human Anatomy. The horror…..But yes! The truth is revealed! Read and Review please…!


	10. The Denial

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read….

* * *

_The luxurious vehicle moved down the quiet streets, passing along the few rarities of street lights along the path. The night had gotten cold, bitter, and terribly windy. It had started out feeling like a welcoming night into the stars, but as of now, the dark sky and chills through the air made Winry feel as though the night was now becoming very unfriendly. _

_Her hazy blue eyes searched curiously outside of the car window as her breath frosted the glass with each exhale of air. She knew it was dreadfully late. She didn't need to ask what the hour was. But she was eager to know whether the man driving her to her destination would be exposing her and her actions of partying and drinking. Her parents would be furious, and the life outside would be gone for a good while until the trust returned to her. And with the way her mother and father were, she didn't see that happening for quite some time if they were to find out. _

_It worried her, for they had been driving for almost five minutes in complete silence. The one who had offered her a ride had been a close medical friend to her parents, she was aware. She never got to talk to him much personally, but she knew who he was and so she had felt that accepting his offer for the drive home was quite possibly the only way she would get in less trouble._

"_Were you planning on walking home?" The man questioned._

_Winry tilted her eyes to carefully glance at him. Her head was starting to hurt and her body was growing cold from the outside air that was somehow still creeping inside the car. Her driver obviously didn't find much affection for heaters. Despite being intoxicated, she wasn't feeling warm and fuzzy inside like most people did with alcohol in their system.  
_

"_I don't know…" _

_She really didn't either. If he hadn't have come along, she wasn't quite sure what she would have done. Would she have tried to eventually start walking? Probably not… Winry could see that simply driving through the dark roads was eerie enough. Walking would have been out of the question. She would have most likely tried her luck with staying within the building. _

"_Mn…your boyfriend didn't come with you then? Not a very nice guy, is he?" He joked quietly. _

_Winry slowly shook her head. She had always been the honest type, so she didn't see any reason to lie._

"_Oh… No. I don't have one."_

_If she did, she knew he would have been dancing the night away with her. In short, they most likely both would have been smashed up in alcohol._

"_That's a shame- Such a pretty young lady." _

_Winry didn't know what else to do but mumble a couple words of thanks for his compliment. She knew this felt awkward, so she was certain that the man was only trying to find conversation until they reached her house. It didn't seem to occur to her quite yet that they were going farther out of town instead of in. Her mind was not where it should have been while being intoxicated._

"_So... are you going to tell them?" Winry asked._

_The man took in a deep breath as he turned the wheel to sharply round a corner. He seemed to be considering it, but he eventually decided to shake his head, chuckling._

"_No, I don't think so. I was your age once. I've done a lot worse, so I know about creeping into the house at the late hours. But I can't promise you won't get in trouble… The hour you're walking in is already going to be suspicious enough." _

_Winry knew that was true. It didn't matter whether the man would reveal anything or not. It wasn't as though her parents had thrown in the towel and given up on her late arrival home. _

"_They probably already called the police on me," she mumbled. _

"_That's a possibility, but we're not going to worry about that right now. We'll worry when we get there." _

_When they got there? Winry knew that was wise advice, but it was easier said than done._

"_We still have a long drive ahead of us anyways" he reminded her._

_They did have a lengthy drive indeed. But Winry had no idea just how long it was going to be. A long drive and a very long night- a night she would never be able to forget._

* * *

Confessions and revealing hidden truths of abuse were never easy- If not only for the building shame, but the increased difficulty of belief made it that much harder. It was no simple task, whether it is admission to guilt or a claim of injustice as a victim.

Not many people in the world ever care to admit being wrong, nor do they stand in eagerness to offer their voice in the face of a degrading act done against them. The reasons tend to be endless. But for Winry, she had feared the truth because she had known what would come to be the final result. Anger, disappointment… Irritation? She wasn't quite sure what she saw in Edward's eyes at that moment. But she was certain of one thing, and for that she felt regret. He did not believe her. His silence had been evidence enough to his inner thoughts. Her accusation sounded ridiculous, she knew. Winry had not been here long, yet she had already revealed the main issue she had been struggling with. She had made a terrible decision. Winry had lowered her walls of defense and temporarily allowed Edward's aura of protection to surround her. So many patients' appreciated the young doctor's intelligence and understanding. They marveled at his surprising dedication and smiled at his occasional grumpy comments.

Winry hated doctors, she had wanted to trust one- just once. She wanted someone to understand her fear in that man. But judging by how the events played out, she wasn't quite sure she would ever get Dr. Elric to empathize. It was silly to ever believe he would.

Roy Mustang was the medical director of the hospital. He was high in status. He was charming at first appearance and soft spoken. And what was Winry considered? A young teenager in a mental institution with a profound hatred for medical staff and a stubborn attitude who now was also considered a threat to herself. Her arms were proof enough to that.

Glancing over to her side, Winry focused her eyes on the wrapped bandages that now covered her damaged skin. After the accusation she had made earlier, Edward had ignored her words and allowed the nurses outside to do the rest of the work. The only thing she had heard from him on his way out was a promise to check on her later.

Now Winry just felt numb all over. She had tried to hide what that man had done to her out of shame, but now that she had revealed his guilty actions against her, she wasn't finding the outcome a pleasant one. If anything, it felt worse than when she had been trying to hide it. When it had remained a secret, nobody knew about it, so nobody could take any steps to serving justice. But now that it was out in the open, it felt awful. She felt helpless, because now someone knew… but now the man who had done something so indecent to her was getting away with it. And in her current situation, nobody was willing to listen.

"It's not fair," Winry whispered.

Nothing was turning out to be very fair. She couldn't bring that man to justice, she couldn't get out of this hospital, and now she couldn't even move. Her decision to harm herself earlier had caused the staff to place a restriction on her mobility once again. There was nothing she felt was worse than being placed in restraints. She had been sedated before, but now she was quite aware of what was going on. It almost made her panic, but she put in a generous amount of effort to keep herself calm.

"Why did you hurt yourself, Winry?"

The blonde resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but kept them on the ceiling above her. She wasn't feeling much right now, so she had no issue with answering the question.

"I wanted to."

She knew the voice belonged to Riza. She was starting to see that woman a little too often for her liking as of now. Apparently restraints weren't enough for Dr. Elric. He instructed the woman to check on her as well. Winry was aware that Edward had not informed anyone about the accusation. But if he had, nobody around her was letting her know of it. And even if they did know, they were just as likely to turn their heads away and frown at her words. Nobody wanted to believe the truth. Not when it was masked so well behind a man who appeared to be respectful and charming on the surface.

Hawkeye did not persist in her questioning, which was good news to Winry. She wanted nothing to do with the woman, and she wanted nothing to do with the doctor who she had thought of trusting. How stupid she had been. What had he done to ever have deserved her trust? Nothing at all. Edward had been obnoxious, rude, and pushy with his need for information. Whatever had sparked her interest must have been some kind of terrible mistake- a mistake and some childish crush that had been developing. Dr. Elric was a handsome young man, Winry could always admit to that. But he still treated her like a child. He treated her as a doctor would… and she certainly could not expect more than that. How could she? What was it that she had ever been hoping to expect from him anyways?

Whatever it may have been, Winry was upset to discover that she had no clear answer to give herself. The only thing she felt she could blame her reasoning on was pure desperation for someone to listen.

She just wished she would have thought more carefully about her decision.

* * *

"_Will… you tell me his name?"_

"_His name is Mustang… Roy Mustang."_

Edward sat alone in his office, tossing his pen up and down in the air, despite the growing pile of paperwork on his desk. It had been awhile since he left Winry to the nurses, but her words still rang fresh in his mind. It wasn't like him to slack on his medical documents. It reminded him of his annoying boss, and he really didn't want to resemble him at all. Especially after what his blonde patient had to say about him.

He couldn't say he believed her. It sounded ridiculous to even think about. Edward was well aware that Mustang could be considered a womanizer, but to think of him going after someone at Winry's age and acting without consent… It just didn't seem possible. Roy Mustang always had his choice of females. It seemed he had a different one each week, but as far as Edward was concerned, all of them had gone to him of their own free will. He had met many of them in the past. No doubt they all got heartbroken in the end, but none of them had ever claimed Mustang touched them inappropriately when it wasn't wanted.

"She doesn't like doctors... It's a hell of a way to rebel, but that accusation is just ridiculous," he muttered to himself.

Mustang was not only Edward's boss. The young doctor had been associated with him for quite a few years. And although he had known him to be a smug, disgustingly flirtatious, and lazy bastard… violent just didn't seem to fit the picture for the man.

Edward had asked himself again and again for reasons as to why Winry would lie to him over something that seemed so sensitive. But he couldn't think of a reason as to why she _wouldn't._ His patient had not even been a part of this hospital for a month yet, and she was already proving to be quite a challenge with her bizarre stories and overwhelming bitterness.

Catching the pen back into his right hand, Dr. Elric flinched and lowered his arm down to the desk, observing his gloved fingers. He could visibly see the pen wedged between his index and middle digits, yet he seemed frustrated when he found his hand was not cooperating to release the writing utensil from his awkward hold. In the end, Edward used his other hand to swat the pen away, giving it a frustrated toss to the corner of the room, hearing it clatter to the floor shortly after.

"I thought you were going to fix that? I could have sworn I left you a sufficient amount in your drawer."

Why did this man show up at times like these? He really wasn't in the mood for him.

"Oh, go away Mustang. I don't need you in here right now," Edward groaned.

His complaint did little to get the director to leave, and seemingly had a complete opposite effect. The blonde watched with an incoherent grumble as his boss slipped inside the room and shamelessly loomed over his mountain of paperwork.

"I'm ashamed. You usually do better than this. You realize that you need a pen to give your signature for all of these, correct?"

"Shut the hell up."

"You're grumpy too. I heard the Rockbell patient of yours sliced her arms up earlier. Shouldn't you have anticipated that, Edward?"

"Damn it, Mustang… Don't rub it in, alright? The girl has serious issues."

"I've seen worse."

"How the hell would you know?" he snapped irritably, glaring at his paperwork before him.

"I've been in this field longer than you have. I've seen more than petty cutting."

Edward snorted.

"Don't be so shallow. Those cuts were deep enough to cause more than enough concern."

Roy shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward to lift a few papers up into his hand, skimming over them with mild interest.

"So why haven't you fixed it yet?"

Edward leaned back in his seat and rolled his eyes, letting his chair squeak as he applied pressure to its back end. His boss had a tendency to be very nosy; quite like himself at times.

"First of all, I told you I have enough. I'm financially stable. I don't need you to treat me like some poor orphan anymore."

"I'm being generous. Is that wrong?"

"No, it's embarrassing. I told you I can handle myself now. I don't need any pity parties from anyone."

Mustang couldn't help but chuckle as he set the papers down.

"You sure looked like you needed one on that particular night."

Damn the man to hell and back. Edward could not believe he was still pushing him about that issue. What did it matter anyways?

"I don't need to keep burying myself up the ass in debt with you, you know?"

"I could have sworn I told you that it was an early birthday gift. Think of it as an expression of gratitude for dedicating yourself so strongly to the medical field," Mustang said.

Edward sighed.

"You're corny, you know that? Just get out, will ya? I'm already behind enough as it is, and I don't need you distracting me anymore than necessary."

Whether Mustang was choosing to be sympathetic or leaving merely out of boredom, it was perfectly fine for Dr. Elric. In all honesty, Roy was the last person he wanted to see for multiple reasons. Now that the accusation was going through Edward's head, he couldn't help but begin to imagine the possibilities. He still couldn't see the man doing such a thing, but the fact that Winry even dared to accuse someone like Roy was startling.

Getting out of his seat to retrieve his neglected pen, Edward turned to look at the door just as the medical director was exiting the office.

"Hey Mustang…?"

As expected, he had temporarily caught the man's attention. What he wanted to do was ask the other about Winry's accusation. He wanted to ask him for the truth. But it sounded silly to even form the question. Mustang was a bastard in many ways, but a violent predator he was not. Edward knew him well enough. At least he believed he did.

"... It's nothing. Forget it."

He couldn't do it. How could he ask something like that? He didn't even believe it. And even if it was some sort of possibility, why in the world would Mustang ever flat out admit to his wrongdoing? Only a stupid person would openly announce themselves as guilty.

Roy didn't seem all that offended or bothered that Edward had decided against his question, whatever it may have been. Instead, he gave a casual wave and chuckled.

"Well don't overwork yourself now. And fix that arm of yours. You're starting to look just as pathetic as before."

Dr. Elric would have felt irritated by those last words if they weren't true. But he had been quite aware of how washed out he had been only a few years ago. He really had looked pathetic, and he probably was starting to look like that again. But his arm was only half the problem. Winry Rockbell was proving herself challenging enough to be the other half of the issue. His career as a doctor hadn't been going on for too long now. But he had never dealt with such a fragile situation such as this. He liked Winry. He believed she had a wonderful future ahead of her as well. But now that she was accusing someone he had known so closely, his expectations of her had somewhat dropped.

Watching the man step out of his office shortly after encouraging the blonde, Edward looked back at his massive pile of paperwork and soon turned his eyes downward to one of his desk drawers. It took him a moment to reach out for it, but once he did, he found his hand sinking into it to retrieve the check that Mustang had left inside. He still hadn't touched it up until now. Edward tilted the small paper from side to side and studied the massive numbers on the front with a heavy sigh. Mustang forked out this cash so casually as though it was nothing more than pocket change. Dr. Elric could understand, because he had been serious when he said he had enough money to cover repairs on his own. His boss was just so damn pushy. Besides, he said it was an early birthday gift.

The longer the young doctor stared at the check, the more doubtful he began to feel towards Winry. He almost felt guilty that he had even thought of bringing up the question to Mustang in the first place. That man had helped him through the most difficult times in his life and pulled him up to where he could support himself. To turn his back on someone for a snappy patient of his sounded silly.

Winry was a beautiful girl. It was just too bad she had to accuse someone who Edward trusted in far too much.

* * *

Silverbell- I'm hurt… really guys. You think I was going to ditch this story? The holidays just proved to be challenging to get through. I know you all are probably still wondering where the romance between Edward and Winry is, but as you can see there is now a problem between them. I promise you though, they'll find their way to eachother soon enough. This chapter was really supposed to just shed a bit more light on Edward and Roy. The story will come together. It seems in bits and pieces, but it will come together for all of it. Happy New Years guys!

Note- By the way, I'm aware my earlier chapters are all messed up with the line breakage in them. I have to fix that. I apologize for any confusion it has caused.


	11. Girl Talk

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read…

* * *

The days that followed the accusation did not seem to become any brighter for Winry- the reason mainly being her lack of movement. Edward had checked on her as he had promised, ranging from twice a day to three. He never once mentioned her issue again, which he realized was very childish of him. As a medical professional, he knew it was his job to get to the root of his patient's problem. He could throw the situation to Winry's therapist, but he found his determination to get through to her unwavering.

The day Winry was released from her restraints; she spent most of her hours staring out her window. The numb feeling she had gotten the day she had revealed her troubles to Dr. Elric had never gone away. She wasn't sure she wanted it to either. If it did, she would come to realization that her chance of having justice served had been thrown down the drain a long time ago. She couldn't shed a tear, and her appetite had disappeared. For once, she felt empty and whatever part of her was still around… she had to admit that she almost liked it. It was no wonder some of the patients in this facility felt more comfortable being lost in their mind. Reality could not harm them. And if it did, they would not receive a full impact.

Winry reached one hand out to let her fingers glide across the smooth glass as she watched the cars speed down the street. She couldn't quite get lost in her head enough to block out everything, but it was enough to block out what she felt was far too painful at the moment. Winry did not agree to withdraw from the world, but at the moment it seemed like her best option.

That decision to leave her school party that night had ruined everything. She wished she never would have agreed to it. And she wished she never would have been tempted to drink either. What had it done for her? It got her stranded and clouded her common sense. Where would she be now if she would have made better decisions that night? She sure wouldn't be locked in this treatment center, she knew that for certain.

Winry pressed her forehead to the glass and balled her hand into a weak fist. Her arms had still not recovered, but she almost wished they wouldn't. What good had they been to protect her when she had needed it the most anyways? What good was any of her? She had not been able to save herself, so the damage done to her body had not only slashed at her attractive features, but it also was proving to be quite an appropriate punishment for herself for failing to stop what that man had done to her that particular night.

Looking out the window for a long while, she watched the sun begin to lower itself over the mountains. Her eyes scanned over the people walking across the street to stores within sight. She had forgotten how nice it felt to walk around like that. For all she knew, she wouldn't be taking a step out of this building until the beginning of the next year or longer. And after considering what had happened, the stay would most likely be extended even further. She wasn't even sure she would be getting a roommate again anytime soon. She had been moved out of the camera monitored room already, but the staff had felt that keeping her in a room to herself would be appropriate for the time being. That and keeping the annoying Riza glued by her front door with that stupid book she was always reading. It almost made Winry miss Paninya. Ever since the day she had sliced her arms, she had not even attended one group for therapy. She just stayed in her room and did only three things. She slept, she gazed out the window, and she picked at her food when it was brought in to her at the table.

It may have been a year passing since the incident with that man, but it never left her memory. She felt uncomfortable to herself and now that she had to see that medical director occasionally roaming the halls, it made it worse. It also heavily damaged her sleep. Winry didn't feel safe, despite Riza keeping a careful eye on her. Every step she heard down the hall made her feel tense. Not even the numb feeling she acquired could block it out.

Winry had been pondering standing for a long while now, but she couldn't get herself to move. She wasn't tired, so she would not sleep, and she definitely wasn't feeling hungry. She did not want to mingle with the other patients, so her best bet was to stay in here by the window and keep up her passive people watching.

"Hey there, girly. You haven't been looking so hot these last few days. You wanna tell me what's up?"

Winry knew she had just been thinking of her former roommate, but she wasn't quite sure she was ready to talk to anyone yet. Riza was proving to be kind again by letting the tan girl step inside, although she had her doubts that it would help. Winry seemed to be going in a downward spiral ever since she had gotten in this treatment center. And that was never a positive sign.

"Hey now… you weren't supposed to go and copy what I've done with my arms, Win," Paninya said, making her way further into the room to stand beside the seated blonde.

Still, there was no answer. But Paninya had never been the type to just surrender and go back to her own activities.

"Come on, you're going to be okay. I'm a treatment center survivor. I've been in this place for months. I told you that already when I first spoke with you. Eight months total. Of course I've been transferred around. I have to admit though; this is the best one I've been in so far. I can help you make the best of it."

That might have been true. This could have been a good facility if a certain somebody wasn't lurking around the halls at random times.

"Paninya…?"

Now that was a good start. Winry was beginning to at least show some attention. And Paninya was all ears for it too.

"Why did you end up cutting? What was… your reason?"

Winry had just been curious to know. She had her own, but she wanted to see what someone else felt like. What they experienced and why they felt they needed to injure themselves to relieve some other pain.

Paninya was silent for a moment as she leaned into the window and lowered her eyes to the healing cuts and old scars along her arms. Everyone had their reasons. But those reasons often did not make sense to others.

"My dad… he was an alcoholic. He got drunk on his ass a lot. He wasn't the happy kind of guy either that tumbles down the stairs and laughs about it. And he sure didn't pass out immediately either. He was the violent type. You know the ones that put holes in the walls and shout at the top of their lungs about stupid things that don't matter."

Winry slowly turned her blue eyes to focus on the girl beside her. This had caught her attention rather well, so she wasn't drifting in and out of lost thought as she had been for the past few hours.

"Well, what did he yell about?"

Paninya snickered and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh, he yelled about everything. He used to shout if I didn't wash a dish correctly in the sink. He would yell and get violent if I took my shoes off in the wrong spot. Just dumb things, you know?"

Winry nodded and frowned.

"My good ol' mom was so stressed out from his behavior; she used to drown herself in medication to feel better. I can't count how many times I had to share my bed with her so she could try to get away from him. The police were at our door a lot for a lot of reasons- neighbor complaints and all of that good stuff. I had to call a few times myself to get him out of the house. He was the abusive type, if you get my drift. My mom went to the hospital a few times cause of him."

It was this story that was making Winry feel guilty. She had a good family. They worked a lot, but they were not as dysfunctional as she had believed. There were others who went through much worse. And here she had thought her parents were cruel just because they grounded her in the past for stupid things. At least it had been an act of caring.

"I just hit rock bottom, you know? I didn't know how to handle the situation anymore so I gave the cutting a try. The other kids at school all thought it was just for attention, but that wasn't the case. People should never assume it's just for attention. I wouldn't call it a cry for help either… Not in my opinion. Not in my case, anyways. It was just a way to take my frustrations out."

Bless Paninya's soul. The girl went through so much, yet here she was trying to cheer Winry up and still had a smile on her face.

"I don't agree with this treatment center either, girly. Some of the things they do are stupid. But tell me what you gain by sitting by this window and wasting your hours away by staring at cars and people on the outside. Today marks a week that you've been here."

Paninya pointed a finger to the glass and glanced down at the seated girl beside her.

"You want to be out there again, don't you? You don't wanna be in here with the rest of us crazies. You're a hot blondie. You should be out shopping at expensive malls or something and hitting the movies. I'll tell ya right now that if you went to my old school, I sure would have picked you up. You look a lot like my old girlfriend."

Winry nearly choked when she heard that. Did Paninya just say she had an old _girlfriend_? And to top that off, did she just hit on her?

She was certain that she had. And it wasn't like Winry could it put it past Paninya to do something like that anyways. It wouldn't be the first time after all.

"That's a stereotypical view of blondes, Paninya."

"Come on, don't tell me that you don't like the malls and movies. Everyone likes the malls and movies."

Winry did. But she wasn't the type of girl to visit those places weekly. And if she did, it would only be to buy the latest in mechanics or view a movie that had something to do with machinery. She had always been fascinated with such things. If it weren't for that night partying, she probably would have continued pursuing her interests.

"They're alright. I can find better things to do though with my time," she mumbled.

Paninya took no offense to her words and let her eyes trail up to the ceiling.

"Well, whatever you find interesting... you'd rather be doing that then sitting in here, right? Or at least be around it? I know I sure would love to be around a good cigarette or two. They let you smoke in the _adult_ unit, obviously.. But still..."

Winry sighed. She should have known. She had been hoping to hear some actual goals from Paninya, but the girl was so hooked on negative things, it made her wonder if she actually had any positive dreams to look forward to.

"Don't tell me that all you do is smoke."

"Eating is good too, girly. Can't forget eating," Paninya announced proudly.

Smoking and food. How ridiculously simple.

"Paninya, I mean... is there anything you want to do with yourself after you get out of here? Like a career?"

Honestly, after her fall into this crazy slump, Winry was having a difficult time planning out her future as well. But she sure knew that if she did get one, it had to be more than eating and puffing on a cigarette. She wasn't the smoking type anyways.

Paninya seemed to have trouble though. The girl tilted her head from side to side in considerate thought, humming occasionally out of boredom.

"Well, I dunno. I actually never saw myself going far. I'm probably going to be one of those people you see in a hamburger shop flipping burgers and asking the next customer in line if they want any fries to go with it."

Now _that _was stereotypical. Paninya just seemed to be the stereotypical type.

"But hey... That doesn't mean you're going to be camping out in a burger shop for your future, Win. You look like you could become one of those famous people. Your name even sounds important. Winry Rockbell- sounds like a name you would hear in a movie or something.

Movies, malls, smoking, and snacking. Paninya sure had a thing for all of them.

"I wanted to see myself somewhere. But I'm not so sure anymore."

She hadn't forgotten about her intentions. She wasn't in here just because she was sad. Winry was in here because she had been suicidal. Someone who dared to commit did not have a future. So she was uncertain, because the thought never left her.

"There's plenty of things you can do, Win. You're just letting things get in the way."

She was not_ letting_ things get in the way. The one thing she wanted out of the way simply wouldn't budge. And just recently she had tried to give it a good push. Winry just found she got discouraged easily. And she wasn't even going to mention what her road block was. She had learned her lesson already about telling people. She didn't need to be looked down at as a liar a second time. She wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Anyways... I'm sorry about your family. I didn't mean to ask anything personal," Winry sighed.

Paninya didn't seem upset about it at all. In fact, she seemed to have forgotten all about it until it was mentioned again.

"No worries, girly. I don't see how it could have possibly made you feel better, but I have to say that I'm proud I got you to talking again."

It was more than Dr. Elric had done for her. She had trusted him enough to reveal a hurtful truth to him, and all he had done was walk away and act as though it had never happened in the first place.

"The doc must have really ticked you off, huh?" Paninya questioned.

She had hit the nail right on the head with that. Edward had done more than just make Winry angry. He made her feel like a liar. He made her feel possibly more helpless that Mustang had that night after the party. She had never known such a feeling was possible after that.

"He always does. How does that surprise you?" Winry muttered irritably.

"I just think it's kinda cute. You two have been bickering at eachother ever since you stepped into this place. In my opinion, I don't think I've ever seen Dr. Elric so flustered before as long as I've known him. Of course it hasn't been years, but you sure seem to give him a run for his money."

Winry arched a brow.

"I'm supposed to feel proud about that?"

"Hell yeah! If I could irritate him like that, I'd be the happiest girl in this hospital. You actually get him in a bad mood!"

For some reason, that just didn't sound like much of a compliment to Winry at all. Getting someone in a bad mood didn't sound like it was a positive action.

"I'm not following you. Why is it good to put him in a bad mood?"

Paninya poked her tongue out halfway and rocked back on her heels.

"I think any girl that can make a young man sweat like that and lose his cool has a special touch. I just annoy him. You literally have him stomping down the hall sometimes."

Winry hadn't been aware of that. But it did seem like a funny thing to imagine. She was certain if Edward was capable of blowing steam out of his head, he probably would.

"Serves him right then," Winry huffed.

Dr. Elric was a young doctor. He could withstand a little upset from time to time. And if Winry could provide that for him, then she might as well congratulate herself for keeping him on his toes.

"He likes to mutter to himself a lot, so I often hear your name mixed in with the jumble of curse words. Just think, it's only been a week and you already have him pulling out his hair. If you're lucky, he'll kick you out way before a year."

Paninya tapped a finger to her chin curiously.

"Or it could be opposite. Men do like a challenge, I've heard. And you are definitely a challenge. You're worth the effort. The doc sure has good taste."

Did Paninya just hit on her again? How shameless could this girl possibly be? And ontop of that, did she hear the last part correctly?

"The doc...?" Winry questioned slowly.

Paninya glanced over at her and frowned.

"Dr. Elric. You know... The doc. I always call him that."

Winry was quite aware of that, but why was Paninya associating Edward with good taste when mentioning the idea that she was a challenge?

"I'm not quite sure I'm understanding, Paninya. What does Edward's taste have to do with anything?"

Winry was not a stupid girl. She just refused to make herself comprehend what Paninya was saying to her. She felt she did understand, but she didn't want to believe in it. It sounded ridiculous.

Paninya pulled herself from the window to soon steady herself at the desk. Her eyes roamed from Hawkeye at the door and then back to Winry. The woman who was supposed to be watching the blonde had apparently felt that as long as the two girls weren't trying another escape, letting them have their girl talk was harmless. If she _had _been listening, she would no doubt be scolding them for such an inappropriate topic.

"His taste has to do with everything. I think he likes you," Paninya nodded her head proudly.

Winry had thought her former roommate would lead her in circles for hours with this conversation, so her sudden urge to be blunt had startled her. And although she should have been expecting it, Winry couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

"Paninya, there are so many things that I can say to you that would shoot that idea to pieces. Do you realize how silly you sound?" Winry asked.

It was obvious that Paninya did not care whether her thoughts sounded absurd or not. She still seemed to stick to them like glue.

"Hey, I know how guys can be. The more you frustrate a guy, the better- especially for someone like him."

Winry slumped in her seat and shook her head.

"Frustrating him is fine, but going further than that is just off… limits, I guess."

Paninya smoothed her hand across the wooden desk, drawing imaginary circles on the surface.

"Why is that? Because he's a doctor? Don't tell me you don't think he's cute. That young man sure has some good looks. You can't deny that," she teased.

Winry could admit that. She knew Edward was an attractive person. Maybe not in his personality, but he had some nice features. One thing in particular she had grown to like was his eyes. She made him into a grumpy person, but within a week she had already seen such a variety of emotions in them.

"He is nice looking, Paninya. But I don't know him. Whenever I talk to him, I only argue with him. And one thing is for sure… He doesn't trust me at all."

"Well… you _did _try to run away recently," Paninya pointed out.

Winry sighed.

"That's not what I mean."

Why was she even trying to explain herself? Edward was a doctor and she was a patient. She fought his every suggestion, resisted every comment, and flinched at his presence. How could Paninya be seeing something that clearly was not there?

"There's nothing wrong with a crush, girly. We all have them. It's only a harmless attraction," Paninya shrugged.

"It's not a crush."

"What would you call it?"

"I'd call it irritation."

Paninya snickered.

"That term works too, you know?"

Winry gazed back out the window and felt a sudden upset swell over her body. This talk of a crush was pointless and she couldn't understand why Paninya was continuing to pester her with it.

"I don't have a crush on anyone. If anyone does... It's you Paninya. Edward just gets on my nerves. What has that man done for me aside from throwing me under observation, encourage my use of medication, and define me as a liar?"

Her roommate would not understand the last part, but Winry was not willing to go into details. And it was good that Paninya did not expect her to either.

"What has he done for you? Well, he stopped you from tearing up the rest of your body, and he made sure you didn't get hit by a car on your attempted escape. I'd say he saved your life and your body on separate occasions. "

Winry flinched. Those words were true, but did she ever ask that her body be spared or her life altogether? If she could feel grateful for his actions, she would not be in here. Winry did not value her life, so she could not be thankful to him. It was a sad truth, but it was real.

But Winry did _not _know Edward. She argued with him.

"Paninya, what point are you trying to make? He's a doctor, okay? I don't know anything about him besides his name and his age. And he doesn't know anything about me. He doesn't understand me. And a medical file doesn't cut it either. It never will. So the day Edward sits down to try and understand me as a person will be the day I take a shine to him."

Winry felt a faint smile creep on her lips.

"Might I add that this will also be the day pigs learn to fly."

* * *

Edward had still not gotten that check up. He wanted to. He needed to. But he couldn't find the time to make an appointment. The bastard had said it was an early birthday gift, so he was just going to do his best to look it as that, instead of some pity party the man had for him. He didn't need anyone's sympathy for what happened to him. Other people had gone through a lot worse, so he was not one to sit down and feel sorry for himself. If he did that, he would find himself back at square one, and that was something he refused to return to. He had come so far, so he would move forward.

And moving forward was exactly what he was doing now- right down the hospital with his trusted clipboard and black pen. He had been intending to go check on all of his patients for the past hour, but he had been unfortunate enough to run across the man who was responsible at night for keeping an eye on the security of the hospital in his particular unit. Maes Hughes.

He had delayed him for almost a half hour by chattering nonstop about his beloved daughter and her achievements. He also fussed over her apparent problem of over reactant crying and questioned him on whether it was potential medical problem. But despite Edward's reassurances, the man had begged the young doctor to assess her properly in the upcoming week. He personally thought it was ridiculous, but he agreed anyways. It was the only way to get the man to finally get lost.

He personally didn't believe that the man's daughter had any issues. She was still young, and kids could obviously be brats with excessive temper tantrums and tears. He saw no reason for Hughes to lower his daughter to a point where he felt she had some serious problem. Still, Edward was thankful that he could be on his way to check on the patients.

On his journey down the hall, Dr. Elric found that most of his patients were doing rather well. Paninya was missing from her room, and he didn't recall seeing her in the Day Room, so he would have to be on the lookout for the pesky girl. He had a feeling he knew where she was already anyways.

One patient he had been treating for a good three months already was seemingly doing better. He still didn't move very much, but as far as he could see, he was making an effort. The female patient who claimed she was sexually frustrated was using her time to do more practical things, though she still had a long way to go. And one of his more violent patients had somehow managed to unhook her sink from her bathroom wall. Overall, most of them were either doing the same or a little better- except one in particular. And that was who he was going to see next.

Edward had checked on Winry faithfully as he had promised. He asked how she was feeling and he encouraged her to go to every group that passed. Of course she failed to attend all of them, but he still tried. He was quite aware that his blonde patient was most likely angry with him for his attitude towards her 'hidden truth'. First of all, he had never expected to hear something so big coming from someone who had just been admitted. And secondly, he thought it was an outrageous accusation. It was his job to take it seriously and get to the bottom of it, but his own stubborn reasons were stopping him from doing so. And his personal reasons, he knew, should never be able to interfere with one's career. It was just a shame that they did.

Reaching the doorway that led into Winry's room, Dr. Elric stopped before coming into view. Not that it had been long, but Winry had not been very talkative ever since that little event had happened. But from what he could hear, she was speaking to someone… and that someone was the 'pesky girl' he had been telling himself to look for. At least he was now saving time by not having to look for her.

"Checking in on your patients, Dr. Elric?"

He hadn't forgotten the fact that he had left Hawkeye to stand watch by Winry's door. And so far, she had been doing a good job.

"Something like that," he answered quietly.

What were those girls chattering about? Edward usually wasn't so nosy, but he thought he detected some hint of secrecy behind the soft words. In most situations, it wouldn't be his business to pry, but in such a facility, he felt he had the right to. It wasn't like he was abusing his power or anything of the sort.

Pressing his ear near the edge of the doorway, Dr. Elric shamelessly listened in, leaning carefully to the side as Riza stared up at him with disapproval.

"With all due respect, Dr. Elric… Do you really think that's necessary?"

Edward grunted and shifted in his position.

"Of course it is. They could be planning to escape," he huffed.

"I sincerely doubt they would talk about escaping while I'm sitting here, Dr. Elric," Riza pointed out.

That was a good point. But Edward was known to be stubborn.

"They…could have some sort of creepy patient code language."

That just sounded stupid. But Dr. Elric was young after all, and he was known to sometimes have a slip of the tongue that made him sound his age absolutely.

However, Hawkeye seemed to realize that no matter what she said, Edward would do what he wanted, so the woman decided to just make it easier for herself and awkwardly went back to reading her book. It wasn't like she could reason with his logic anyways.

Edward, on the other hand… He was already working hard to strain his ears and listen to that soft spoken conversation. Obviously, he had already forgotten about Hawkeye and was focused on making out every word that was spoken inside. And he praised his wonderful detective skills too and his excellent hearing, because he caught quite a bit of it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't about any escape.

It very much had to do with him.

"_I don't have a crush on anyone. If anyone does… It's you Paninya. Edward just gets on my nerves. What has that man done for me aside from throwing me under observation, encourage my use of medication, and define me as a liar?"_

That was harsh.

"_What has he done for you? Well, he stopped you from tearing up the rest of your body, and he made sure you didn't get hit by a car on your attempted escape. I'd say he saved your life and your body on separate occasions."_

Indeed. He had done just that.

"_Paninya, what point are you even trying to make? He's a doctor, okay? I don't know anything about him besides his name and his age. And he doesn't know anything about me. He doesn't understand me. And a medical file doesn't cut it either. It never will. So the day Edward sits down to try and understand me as a person will be the day I take a shine to him."_

Really now? Interesting…

"_And might I add that this will also be the day that pigs learn to fly." _

Stubborn brat.

Edward rolled his eyes and slowly pulled himself away from the edge of the doorway, adjusting his coat. Despite saving the girl from herself twice, Winry had remained ungrateful. Perhaps they were both just misunderstanding eachother? He would say they were, since he still had yet to come to terms with her accusation and Winry still had to learn to accept his medical background for what it was.

Pushing his hands into his pockets awkwardly, the young doctor turned away from the room and made a move to head back down the hall from where he had come from. If he were to step in now, it would just make him feel out of place- especially after eavesdropping on a good portion of their conversation. He could always check back in later when Paninya wasn't around. It wasn't like Winry would be going anywhere.

"I assume you cracked their 'creepy patient code', Dr. Elric?" Hawkeye questioned quietly, flipping a page in her book.

Edward reluctantly froze in his steps, turning his head carefully back to the seated woman. She appeared to still be reading, yet decided the question was important enough to ask him before he made his 'getaway'. Riza was not the nosy type, but she certainly made sure she put him on the spot with his own unprofessional snooping

"I…did," he answered with a sheepish smile.

Hawkeye simply nodded, turning another page in her book.

"And it was actually very helpful in Winry's treatment plan. I told you that I knew what I was doing."

Edward decided that staying to hear any other meddlesome questions from Hawkeye would only further fluster him, so with those last words given to the woman, the young doctor hurried off in the opposite direction.

He had not been expecting to hear such a conversation, but he couldn't say it was useless. As unexpected as it had come out to be, it did give him a nudge to do as Winry had mentioned. Unfortunately, his patient didn't seem to believe he was capable of understanding her. She had even compared his comprehension to an impossible, yet ridiculous event. But Edward didn't like it when people challenged his ability to do something. He was not a stupid person. He could understand her if he tried. And since she had dared to say that it couldn't be done, Dr. Elric felt it was his responsibility to prove her wrong.

Turning a corner and heading back to his office, Edward chose to ignore every staff member on the way, settling with a choice to mutter to himself instead.

She was not going to insult him like this. She was not going to make him feel incapable of such a miniscule task. Edward _would _understand her. If that was what she wanted, he would make sure he granted that to her.

'The day pigs learned to fly' wasn't as far off as Winry presently believed. ..Edward himself would make sure of that.

* * *

Silverbell- I think we can all agree that this chapter is longer, ne? I hope you all enjoyed it! –watches a pig fly out the window- It's a miracle!

Please Read and Review for me! I do love those nice reviews!

And yes, I know… I haven't managed to fix those line breaks yet. I'm a procrastinator! Shoot me…! At least I fixed one so far! It's a start!


	12. Unaccepted Apologies

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read…

* * *

'The day pigs learned to fly."

Edward had been repeating that through his head all night. His stubborn patient had insisted that her doctor had done little to try and understand her, but he sincerely cared to disagree. Was that not what he had done? Had he not tried to get to know Winry? Had he not tried to speak with her with each free occasion?

'_I'm starting to feel as though that girl is beginning to become more trouble than she's worth.' _

It was a cold thought to have so suddenly, but Edward's motivation to understand Winry had been dropping with each lingering thought of what had been going on within the past week. He had walked out of the hospital that night with positive thoughts, but it had not lasted long. Not with Winry's growing list of troubles she was providing him. She had made a rather outrageous accusation, attempted a wild escape, and had cut her arms to ribbons.

'_I was there for that damn girl every single time. She has a lot of nerve to accuse me of not understanding her.'_

But did he? If Edward understood her as well as he would have liked to believe, would he be as irritated with her as he was now? Dr. Elric believed that Winry had a sad story hidden in her heart somewhere, but he just didn't know how to distinguish her abstract thoughts from her real ones. It was obvious that she had a problem, but Edward had never been faced with such a situation before.

Winry could very well argue that she had stated her problem to him. The issue was truth. Roy Mustang could be an egotistical prick, but Edward still could never see his superior performing such inappropriate sexual acts on someone so young.

'_Why couldn't it be someone else? Anybody else…'_

Stretching out on his simple black couch, the young doctor carefully moved his left arm over his eyes and sighed. He had thought he would have felt more comfortable within his own home, but it appeared as though his troubles still stubbornly insisted on following him. Winry was far away from him right now, confined within her room and being carefully watched by the staff. He didn't need to loom around in his living room and needlessly worry about her during his leisure time. Instead, Edward felt he should have been working on something more productive- perhaps dinner? He wasn't especially hungry, but he did have someone else to feed.

"Alphonse! Did you have anything to eat?"

Remaining relaxed on his couch, Edward waited almost impatiently for the answer from the one residing in the other room down the hall. When he received nothing but silence, the blonde carefully sat up and rolled his eyes. His brother was probably entranced in one of his novels again. Edward often responded the same way when anyone had tried to disrupt him during his studying hours. His brother simply had a different preference.

Placing his feet on the floor carefully, Edward was soon making his way down the hall towards the room at the far end. He could already hear the muffled sound of classical music traveling from the closed door and to his ears. That was all he ever got to hear when he got close to Alphonse's room. That was all his stubborn brother ever listened to. He himself had never had too many issues with the genre, but he wasn't nearly as addicted to the strings and flutes like his younger sibling was.

Reaching the closed door, Edward had been tempted to knock, but decided against it when he realized the chances of it being heard was slim to none.

"Alphonse…?"

Giving the door a gentle shove, the blonde doctor peered into the room, allowing the classical music to now flood the hallway with its elegant sound. His brother's room always appeared to have far more decoration than his own. In fact, it quite possibly outdid the rest of the house. While Edward's room was styled with only a couple flimsy posters of random science facts and information, his brother's was shining with creativity and inspiration. The walls were blanketed with posters of famous musicians, inspiring plays, and one female singer in particular who Edward was certain that the boy had a crush on. Alphonse was still a young teenager, after all. It was expected that he'd develop small love interests from time to time.

Chuckling to himself and stepping further into the room, the young doctor allowed his eyes to wander over to the small bed in the corner. As he had expected, Alphonse was sprawled across the cushy mattress on his back with his face buried in one of the selected books from his bookshelf. He didn't even seem to realize that Edward had stepped in at all.

"Al, did you want anything to eat or not?" Sighing heavily, the blonde reached forward with one swift movement to snag the book from his brother's hands. He most likely wouldn't get any attention from the other unless the novel was temporarily confiscated.

The young boy on the bed appeared to look confused for a generous amount of time, before his attention was soon forced to focus on his older brother before him. However, unlike Edward, Alphonse was not the type to grow impatient with disturbances. But his eyes did look disappointed at the sudden disappearance of his beloved book.

"Huh? Were you actually planning to cook? For the past week, we've been having nothing but pizza and other fast food. And everytime I offer to cook, you mumble and grumble about the lack of groceries and just go out to get us a couple burgers and some fries."

Edward couldn't help but flinch and arch a brow.

"Well excuse me. I've been a little too busy to go skipping to the grocery store to pick up some things. I've been dealing with a little brat from hell down at the treatment center. Why don't you go?" He muttered.

Alphonse shrugged and carefully sat up from his bed.

"If you would give me the money, I will. But last time I did, you yelled at me for the stuff I bought."

"That's because you bought a years worth supply of health food and milk!" Edward huffed.

"And you're a doctor. You should know that eating healthy is good for the body," Alphonse pointed out calmly.

Edward carelessly waved a hand and rolled his eyes. Doctor or not, he didn't care for milk and he wasn't a fan of his brother's 'heart healthy' food choices. Alphonse was only sixteen years old, yet he was already eating as though he was some old man in a wheelchair.

"I'm a doctor that specializes in mental disorders and other issues with the brain. I'm not a nutritionist," he grumbled.

Alphonse should have known his brother would use such a lame excuse. But regardless of how hard he tried to get Edward to eat better foods, it always ended in failure. He was the only one that drank milk within their household, and he usually ended up being the only one to eat the vegetables as well. Edward didn't seem to mind fruit, though… So apples and oranges tended to go missing from the fridge rather quickly because of it.

"That's not what you tell your staff. That lady at the desk says that you encourage everyone to eat healthy all the time. Little do they know that you consume junk food on a daily basis."

Edward wrinkled his nose with a shrug as he stepped over to the mini stereo to lower the volume of the music playing.

"You mean Farrah? I only tell her that because she compares to the size of a stick. I only encourage her because she's getting old. Milk supposedly gives you strong bones. And with as frail as she is, it would do her some good."

Alphonse tilted his head.

"And it wouldn't do you any good?"

Edward scoffed.

"Hell no. I'm not old. I've got plenty of years to spare before I have to start attempting to drink that stuff."

Alphonse curiously leaned forward.

"You mean you actually plan to start drinking it when you're old?"

It took Edward a few moments to respond to such a question, but he eventually forced a grin and slid his eyes shut.

"Probably not, but I've got quite a few more years to spare. Unless that girl I'm dealing with at the moment runs me into an early grave. I should probably just quit while I'm ahead, I suppose."

Dr. Elric moved himself over to a nearby chair by the bed and lazily allowed his body to slump into it. In all honesty, he wasn't supposed to talk about his patients with anybody that lacked authorization, but Edward broke the rules when his sanity was at stake.

"I assume the girl you're talking about is the reason we've been living off of fried foods for the past seven days?" Alphonse questioned.

Edward flipped through the book he now had in his possession and wrinkled his nose at the romantic gibberish that blanketed the pages. He wondered how his young brother even got past one chapter without falling asleep.

"She might be."

"Since when did a patient manage to get under your skin so easily? The only one that I know of that aggravates you so much is that one girl, Paninya. Is that the one you're talking about?"

Edward instantly bristled.

"No, but she is now acting as her number one sidekick. Those two never should have been paired up in the same room together," he groaned.

Alphonse hid a smile and glanced up at the ceiling.

"Are they both tormenting you?"

"Torment doesn't even begin to describe what they're doing to me. I wish I could just kick their asses off to another facility. Paninya isn't a good influence on Winry anyways."

Slamming the book shut, Edward tossed it aside and ruffled his fingers through his long hair. It was a cruel thing to say about the two girls, but he sincerely was starting to lose his patience. Winry probably would have never have even thought to cut her arms up so badly if it weren't for Paninya's past actions of doing the same. Winry never would have probably gone through with her attempted escape either if it weren't for the other girl. Paninya was a good person, but her ideas lacked positive stimulation for his new patient.

"That's her name then? Winry?" Alphonse asked slowly.

Edward gave a soft nod and leaned further back in his chair.

"I've done nothing for that girl but try to help her cope with her stay at this hospital, Al. But she fights me left and right with every day that passes. I could easily just hand her off to the therapists, but I doubt they'll get any further than I have. It's probably best I send her to a more specialized facility to help her get back on her feet."

The younger Elric frowned and leaned forward to rest his head in his hands.

"But aren't those out of state, brother? Doesn't she have family that likes to come and visit her in there?"

That was true. But as far as Edward could see, visits were doing very little for Winry. The last one hadn't gone well at all, and he wasn't so sure he wanted to approve of another one any time soon.

"They're all out of state, yeah. But it still might be better for someone like her."

Did he even have the right to say that? How could he judge what was best for her when Winry had accused him of not understanding? In the past, Edward had had many people who accused him of misunderstanding them while they resided in hospital walls. He often chose to ignore them, but Winry had been so strongly persistent with her words. And her accusation… it had been chilling, to say the least.

"She keeps moaning and groaning about how nobody understands her, but she's so reluctant to talk to anybody, it's no wonder nobody knows what's going on through that damn head of hers."

Alphonse tilted his head.

"It's only been a week though. You can't expect her to open up to anyone so quickly, especially if she's having serious problems, Ed."

Edward understood as much, but it frustrated him all the same. Winry had not been within the treatment center long, so it was probably unfair to already plan a transfer out of state.

"She's done a lot within seven days, Al."

Receiving a shrug from his little brother, Dr. Elric ran his fingers irritably through his hair once more. He cursed his sibling for always bringing common sense into their topics. He often chose to be irrational, but Alphonse was quick to play as his trust-worthy voice of reason.

"You had your own share of problems all those years ago too, brother. I don't know what Winry's suffering from, but you weren't so willing to talk to anybody either back then."

Edward subconsciously gripped at his right shoulder and slid his eyes shut in memory. It was not one he could ever welcome willingly.

"That's completely different, Al," he muttered.

"What happened was different, I'm sure. But the problem is still the same. I wasn't there that night, brother… But I can only imagine what you went through."

The silence through the room shortly after was enough to speak volumes about the incident that had apparently been troubling Edward for so long. Alphonse was almost certain that his brother would choose to not comment on it at all, but the comparison that he was aiming for was there all the same. His older brother often worked hard to avoid the topic altogether, but Alphonse felt it was healthy to bring it up from time to time to make sure Edward was still coping well with it. It had been a good while ago, he knew. But it had been an experience that had been described to him as devastating.

"I'm not eager to enter a competition with anybody when it comes to suffering, Al. I'd rather forget about what happened and move on. Though, I have to admit that it's kinda hard to wipe it from my mind with one particular reminder I have to look at every day in the mirror."

Alphonse slumped forward on his bed and sighed.

"I wasn't trying to bring it up as a competition. I was just trying to tell you that Winry probably has her own reasons for not wanting to talk. Aren't you able to sympathize with that?"

Edward could very well sympathize with the young Rockbell. He even had coaxed some words out of her the day she had done damage to her arms. And it wasn't as though Winry hadn't attempted to talk to him either. He was simply choosing to not listen. But he had his reasons. And they were damn good ones in his opinion.

"It's not about sympathizing with her. I can understand her anxiety at being placed into such a facility, but her situation is completely different from mine. And the issue she has is more than a little delicate… I'm just not sure if I'm the right doctor for her. I could sign her over to a new one that works within the same unit, but I actually have a feeling that she would hate me more than she already does if I tried something like that," he grumbled.

Winry had told him a very personal secret. She had trusted him with her words and had spoken openly to him about how she felt about herself. The girl despised her appearance, felt disgusted with her body, and subconsciously shifted away from normal human contact. Edward was no fool to these behaviors, so he didn't doubt that she had endured some sort of sexual abuse; but his doubts rested on the person accused.

"Why would she be angry at you for giving her another doctor? Wouldn't she be thankful? You're telling me that she doesn't like you much, right?"

That was what Edward partially believed. But he knew that Winry had to have trusted him one way or another in order to say the things she felt inside about herself. And he truly believed every word that she had spoken that day too… but the accusation had been unexpected and more than a little hard to swallow and grasp. How could anyone ever expect him to believe such a thing?

"Well, she doesn't _seem_ like she cares too much for me, that's for sure..."

But the secret had been told to him all the same. Winry hadn't spoken a word to anybody else either. So regardless of how bitter his patient seemed to be towards him, the trust had to have still been there. But it was as good as broken now… Edward's clear expression of doubt had made quick work of that.

"I actually think I hurt her feelings," Edward sighed.

Alphonse should have figured as much. His brother may have been a doctor, but he didn't always act appropriately. If hurt feelings were the problem, he wondered why Edward hadn't done something that seemed so obvious.

"If that's true, then why haven't you apologized to her?"

It seemed like an easy decision to make and a quick fix to a problem that needed to be solved, but Edward was not capable of doing such a thing. If it were that easy, he would have most likely swallowed his pride earlier on and done so… but how could he apologize for something he still had his doubts on?

"It's complicated, Al. An apology isn't going to fix this."

Edward had not meant to be blunt with his brother, but it was the truth. Sexual abuse and accusations were not dealt with apologies. They involved law enforcement and prison. Winry deserved to have her accusation heard, but Edward stubbornly defended the man he had known for so long. He didn't doubt Mustang's ability to defend himself, but was it necessary to bring him so much chaos when it seemed highly unlikely that he had done something so violent in the first place?

Roy Mustang was not a violent person in Edward's eyes. They had an interesting history behind them, after all. Edward found the man annoying from time to time, but never violent. He had often felt like socking the medical director in the face for occasional sly comments, but throwing him behind bars seemed like a little too much.

An apology would_ not _fix this. Edward knew that much for certain. But what he_ didn't_ know was now the new problem he was facing.

If an apology wouldn't fix it, what would?

Shrugging his shoulders and shifting uncomfortably in his chair, Dr. Elric gazed up at his little brother with questioning eyes. If he couldn't find the real answer to his problem, a temporary fix was in order. And nothing fixed things quite as well as a full stomach and delicious food.

"Hey Al, do you still have the number to that pizza place?"

* * *

I would imagine that you've all either forgot about me, or possibly fuming at me for taking so long to update. I can't express my apologies enough. Life has been quick to get in the way and thrown quite a bit of curve balls at me for these past few months. I'm on summer vacation now, so I found the time to put something up, but jobs do pose problems.

Let's all hope I can become an author one day and so my job will be just this… writing. –nod- Sounds like a plan to all of you, right?

Yes, Winry wasn't actually in this chapter, but that's for the next chapter. Edward and Winry shall be getting to know eachother more in the next update. I'm also quite aware that this chapter is even shorter than the one before this. I really do apologize! But lets all cheer and make merry for the brotherly chat, right? We've all been waiting for Alphonse after all, hmm?

You're all probably throwing pitchforks at me as well for not introducing any romance yet when I have indeed promised that. But you have to be patient.. This kind of romance is difficult to initiate. Especially with the situations they're all facing. But… it will happen. And despite how long I've put this update off, I don't plan to quit on this story.. Just to reassure the few people who have given me messages on the site. If you really grow too worried, I suppose you're welcome to nag at me on yahoo messenger from time to time. But no free information! I shall tell none of you what ends up happening in future chapters! I only offer reassurance that my story isn't being abandoned! And erm… maybe gain some advice from you wonderful folks.

So lets all prepare for the next chapter where Winry and Edward finally start to bond. Yay!


	13. Getting to Know You

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read…

* * *

_The roads that led to the city seemed so far off, and the lack of streetlights began to build worry in Winry's chest. She had wanted to blame the alcohol in her system for her confusion in directions, but her senses told her that her drinking was not the current problem she was facing. _

_Placing one hand on the frosty window, Winry wearily turned her blue eyes to the driver in the seat._

"_Shouldn't we be at my house by now?" _

_The man slowly shook his head and applied pressure to the accelerator to increase the speed, despite the risks it provided in the deep night. _

"_Just a detour, Winry. Nothing to be concerned about." _

_Winry had believed that earlier on when she had gotten herself into the car, but now she wasn't so sure. They didn't even appear to be anywhere near the life of the city. In fact, it seemed to her as though they were going in the opposite direction. Winry hadn't been able to tell, for the vehicle had taken so many confusing turns. _

_Hearing a sudden sound ring through her ears, Winry sat back in her seat to investigate with her eyes, allowing them the freedom to roam around the car for the source. She didn't have to wait long though. The man beside her calmly shifted in his seat to reach into his side pocket to produce a small cell phone. He didn't appear to look too surprised by the identity of the caller, and casually flipped the front open, before placing it to his ear. _

"_Top of the morning to you, doctor." _

_Winry instantly slumped in her seat. It was a high chance that the caller was one of her parents. They both were doctors after all, so it was possibly either one of them. She could already hear them nagging at her when she arrived at the house. The chances of them being unaware of her absence were slim to none. _

"_Yes, I fully plan on arriving there soon," he calmly reassured. _

_The girl in the seat wasn't meaning to be a snoop, but the conversation was really starting to sound like it was revolving around her. _

"_I understand that you're upset. I promise we'll talk about it when I get there, alright?"_

_Winry felt the need to now drown the rest of the conversation out. She knew the person on the other line was most likely her mother or father. She couldn't hear the voice, but she could imagine how troubled they sounded. However, just because they were concerned didn't mean that they weren't angry. _

"_Listen, I'll have to call you back when I get closer. I think I actually got a little turned around," the man sighed. _

_Winry could have told him as much. Did he really think that this lonely road led to the city? She was the one that was intoxicated, but she had been intelligent enough to figure out that the man was going the wrong way. Now they had wasted a perfectly good hour driving in the middle of nowhere. _

_Hearing the light sound of the cell phone snapping shut, Winry decided to just remain silent and wait for the man to shift the car into reverse and turn around. He had openly admitted to going the wrong way anyways. There was no reason to mention it to him again if he came to realization. _

'_Some detour this turned out to be,' Winry thought miserably. _

_Watching the car pull off to the side of the road, the girl began to feel relief flood through her body. At least they would be heading to her home now. Winry wasn't eager to get in trouble, but she had had enough for one night out in the open. She was starting to welcome the thought of her parents grounding her. _

_Feeling the vehicle drag along on the bumpy desert floor, she waited almost impatiently for it to turn around and begin its new found journey back to the city. She had not yet become a professional expert on driving, but she certainly knew that it didn't take too much brain power to place a car in reverse- especially since they were the only ones out here for miles. So needless to say, it startled the girl when the engine suddenly ceased and the familiar lights near the car stereo went out. Winry even noted the lack of headlights as well, which placed them in a very uncomfortable, dark, and silent atmosphere. _

_Moving her blue eyes cautiously around the interior of the car, Winry turned her attention over to the driver and released a shaky breath. Suddenly it felt so much colder than it did earlier, and the presence of the man beside her didn't feel as comforting as it had a little while ago. And while she had previously had the familiar, yet soothing hum of the engine to relax her… Now she had nothing but the sound of her own timid breathing to listen to. _

_Winry had so many questions to ask the man beside her. She wanted to ask about her parents on the phone, she wanted to know why he hadn't listened to her advice on directions sooner, and she wanted to know why he had even been around the area where her party was located in the first place. She had all of these things to ask him, but one had been too powerful to ignore and disturbed her above all others. _

"_Why did we stop?" _

_

* * *

_Winry's eyes snapped open as her body jerked awake within the hospital bed. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest and her body felt as stiff as a wooden board. Her thin, blue blanket had been tossed halfway off her bed, while her sheets were wrinkled and bunched up at her feet. She had been waking up every morning in this hospital, but never had she felt as miserable as she had up until now. The scene she could replay back so quickly in her head was now starting to haunt her dreams with a vengeance. She had thought that the aid of sleeping medication would banish that memory from her mind while she slept, but it had done nothing but worsen and sharpen the fear she felt inside.

Taking a quick glance down at her bandaged arms, Winry attempted to feel regret for what she had done to herself, but felt little to nothing as she twisted her wrists from side to side. It was a strange sensation to have, to say the least. But the sensation could hardly be described as pleasurable. However, despite knowing that, she could not bring herself to regret her actions.

"Rough night…?"

Winry knew she must have gone so far into her own thoughts; for she had done little to examine her surroundings after she had woken up. She had not even stopped to think to look around. If she would have done so the moment she had opened her eyes, she would have instantly noticed the infamous Dr. Elric sitting at her bedside.

"You have no idea. Where have you been anyways? Did Paninya and I scare you off for a couple of days? If you're that easy to shoo away, then maybe I'll make it a hobby," Winry muttered.

It was true. Edward had been missing in action for a good amount of time at the hospital, but he had taken that opportunity to get a handle on his temper and on the situation at hand. In truth, it had done miraculous wonders for him. It didn't solve the problem, but it sure did make things _feel _better.

"You want an honest answer?" Edward asked carefully.

Winry shrugged before offering a nod. Out of mild curiosity, she wondered just what a young man like himself would do on his day off.

I've been eating pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I've been borrowing my brother's ridiculous meditation tapes to listen to while I've relaxed on my couch, and I've gone to see my own doctor while I was on my limited vacation. Is it safe to ask what you've been up to?"

Edward casually took a quick glance at the clipboard in his hand and skimmed down the front page.

"Apparently, you've been sleeping for the most part. At least that's what this says here."

Winry scowled.

"You were placed in the Quiet Room twice, you refused to eat dinner for the past couple nights, and you've been giving Riza a difficult time overall. Does that cover most of it?"

Edward knew that he had been planning a different approach to speaking with his patient today, but his overwhelming attitude and sarcasm had come shining through. Needless to say, it didn't seem to be amusing Winry at all.

"It's nice to know that your charming staff knows about everything I'm doing with each and every minute. Does it list bathroom visits too?" she snapped.

Dr. Elric gazed down at his paper curiously.

"Well, actually it"-

"I wasn't being serious, you jerk!"

This was already starting out badly. Edward had come to see Winry with the intention of making her feel better, but it hadn't even moved past the five minute mark, and the two were already bickering. He was certain that if his brother had been here in his place, things would be moving along smoothly. But Edward had failed to acquire Alphonse's natural talent of conversation. He did well enough with his other patients, but Winry seemed bent on being difficult with him.

Taking in a deep breath, Dr. Elric pushed himself up from his seat and shifted his body around to slip out of the white coat that hung on his shoulders. Once he had pulled it off, he allowed it to drape on the chair he had been in only moments ago. He still wore long black sleeves and gloves, but perhaps he now looked less intimidating.

Winry merely tensed and looked up at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Edward shrugged as he gazed down at her.

"I'm making pigs fly, what the hell does it look like?"

She seemed taken aback by this snappy statement and rather confused. Had he lost his mind? They were just talking about eachother's well being just moments ago, and now so suddenly her doctor was aiming to make pigs fly? It was very strange indeed.

Dr. Elric could only roll his eyes when he noticed confusion plastered all over his young patient's face. For something that came right out of _her_ mouth, she sure didn't do well with keeping it as a part of her memory.

Turning the chair around in a backwards position, Edward moved over the seat to comfortably straddle it, resting both of his arms on its back. It was a rather unprofessional way for a doctor like himself to sit before a patient- a lazy, far more laid back position than what would have been expected from him. But he had a feeling that leaning more towards his professional side with her would get him nowhere far. He would just have to be careful to make sure he kept a healthy balance between the two. Dr. Elric had been under the impression that this was how he acted with all patients, but it was obvious that shifting even further from his medical title was necessary to 'understand' Winry.

"I'm getting to know you. Does that make it easier for you to understand?"

Something must have clicked in the girl's head, because a sudden spark of knowing flashed into her eyes. But she didn't seem as pleased as Edward had thought.

"You were listening to me and Paninya a couple nights ago weren't you?" Winry huffed.

"Not intentionally. But if I'm not mistaken, the mention of pigs soaring through the sky compared to my ability to understand you."

Winry placed a hand to her chin and arched a brow.

"Well then enlighten me, Dr. Elric. Have you ever seen a flying pig?"

Edward sighed.

"Do pictures drawn by little five year olds count?"

"No."

"Then I'll be honest and say I haven't," he admitted.

Winry shrugged her shoulders.

"Then I rest my case."

Edward was developing a headache again- something that often happened whenever he came before this girl. Unlike most patients, Winry always found ways to push his buttons, if not more so than her annoying roommate, Paninya.

"Whatever. It's a figure of speech. I only came here to prove a point," he muttered.

Winry propped herself up in her bed and frowned.

"And what would that point be?"

The girl was so exasperating. He had had good intentions with coming in here to speak with Winry this morning, but she was almost like talking to a stubborn brick wall. She didn't want to give an inch. But he was already aware of why that was. She had no reason to further trust him if he couldn't accept her earlier words- her accusation.

"Winry, I'm trying to talk to you like a normal person. No medical lingo. You can at least respect that. You said you don't like doctors, so I took that title off for the time being. So this is a good chance to actually talk to me like you would under normal circumstances."

Winry huffed.

"What makes you think I haven't been talking to you like a normal person over this period of time? It doesn't bother me that you're a doctor. I've been talking to you like I would to some stranger I passed along on the street."

Edward leaned further in his seat and frowned at her disapprovingly.

"You're really this rude to random people out in town?"

"I might be."

If there was to be any positive side to this, Dr. Elric was at least happy that Winry was even speaking to him. She wasn't talking very nicely to him, but there wasn't much she could say to him to really hurt his feelings either. She could irritate him, but as long as his feelings and confidence remained intact, nothing else really mattered.

"Well then let's take a different approach. Pretend you're meeting me on the street right now. What would you say?" Edward questioned.

"I would call you a stalker and ask why you're talking to random girls on the street in an attempt to 'get to know them better'," Winry countered quietly.

If strangling patients were allowed, Edward was certain he would have done it already a long time ago with this girl. Everything he said to her, she managed to flip it around and shoot it at him with plenty of sarcasm attached. He had to wonder why he always managed to get the terribly difficult patients. They were probably assigned to him out of spite and jealousy by the elder staff, no doubt.

"Then assume I'm some damn teenager at your school that wants to talk to you," Edward grumbled.

Winry didn't seem ready to leave her bed, so instead of moving to stand, the girl propped her pillows up and surprisingly chose to make herself comfortable. She could tell he wasn't planning on leaving for a good amount of time, so it was best she at least become snug in her small bed.

"Impossible. You would obviously be a college student. I'm in high school," Winry countered.

Dr. Elric visibly twitched in his seat. Despite the cooperation in conversation, the girl was being terribly difficult.

"What the hell does it matter? I'm a student that's trying to talk to you."

If he was a student, he probably would have driven himself insane from even attempting to talk to her, he was certain. Winry was not an easy young lady to speak with. But then again, he never had been good with women or children.

"Alright then…What would you like to talk about then, Mr. Student, Edward?"

It was definitely a start. Winry was keeping up with her sarcasm, but she was choosing to play along. Edward personally thought that picturing himself as a student was ridiculous, but it wasn't as though it had been too long ago. Now he just had to make sure that he didn't ask questions in the manner that a doctor would. The purpose was to speak with her as a fellow student- not a patient. It was dangerous to play into this, but he was determined to understand her. Why it mattered to him so much, he didn't have a clue. Possibly because the girl had been quick to say that he couldn't. Edward was just stubborn enough to try and prove her wrong.

The only problem he faced now was the new conversation forming. Since he was no longer under his medical title of doctor, he wasn't quite sure what to ask her. Usually, he could throw questions out left and right, ranging from medication inquiries, hospital discharge dates, and general health. But he had thrown himself in some 'make believe' situation, so speaking with her in a professional manner was now off limits.

But since when was he good with talking to girls on a casual level anyways?

"How in the world am I supposed to know? What's your favorite color?"

Now that was certainly lame. This was his first opportunity at talking to Winry in an open manner, and the most he could think to ask her was of her favorite hue on the color wheel. It wasn't exactly an exciting topic.

Winry slowly tilted her head towards her doctor and frowned. She almost looked disappointed by his attempt at 'casual' conversation, but she answered regardless.

"I did like blue, but that changed when I noticed how terrible it looks in the Day Room. I think a pasty blue couch would turn anyone away from the color."

Edward subconsciously turned his eyes towards the door as he visualized the couch Winry had mentioned. He didn't think it looked all that bad, but his brother had always told him that his taste in design was terrible. Winry would probably agree.

"Oh... Well then what about your favorite animal?" he mumbled.

The first question was bad, but the second one really did little to make up for it. In fact, Edward felt it was probably worse judging by Winry's dry expression. She didn't seem amused at all.

"I like dogs…"

Well at least he was asking questions. Winry wasn't exactly trying to help with the small task. She was answering what he asked, but her responses were bordering on flat. They didn't hold much interest at all.

Running a hand through his hair, Edward slumped against his seat. How was he supposed to understand her if he couldn't think of proper questions?

"Dogs… That's interesting, I guess. Do you like science or something?"

He was hoping he could get a positive answer from her on that one. He personally loved science, so if she fell into similar interests, Edward was certain that they could find something intriguing to talk about. He was failing at getting to the root of her problem, but this would have to have to suffice for now.

"Kind of… I like machinery and gadgets. I used to tinker around with old clocks and radios. I like taking things apart and putting them back together."

Edward's eyes soon found themselves locking onto his right arm. It was unusual for girls to be interested in such things, but he could visibly detect a spark of passion in Winry's voice as she mentioned this startling hobby.

"Really? You like… taking things apart?"

Edward's gaze remained on his covered arm. Suddenly he felt so uncomfortable. If Winry had an obsession with clocks and old radios, he was certain he knew of something that would definitely catch her attention. He just wasn't sure if he was ready to show her something so personal.

"Yeah…It always takes my mind off of things. It's not really a science, but I wouldn't mind learning how to build things either," Winry explained.

Dr. Elric nodded as he continued to focus his attention on his right arm. He had a feeling it would be enough to make her smile, but the same couldn't be said for him. However, Winry must have trusted him to some extent that day in the bathroom when she had questioned him about herself. Although he did not fully buy into her words, the girl had still made it clear that she had believed in him enough at that time to speak with him in one of her darkest hours. Wasn't it only fair to share the same with her?

"Do you like prosthetics?" Edward asked carefully.

Suddenly these questions didn't seem so forced anymore, and nowhere near as bland as they had been earlier. Winry seemed confused with the new topic at hand, but as usual, she decided to answer him.

"In a manner of speaking… I think it's the only type of medical stuff that really interests me. My grandmother has a home out in the countryside where she runs a business with prosthetics. I used to visit her a couple years back, but I haven't found the time to go down there again. It's a shame, because I heard there was breaking technology in that field."

This really appeared to be the most conversation that Edward had had with Winry the entire time she had been here. Most of her comments and statements had been defensive and cold. He was startled to find her talking so casually with him about something so unexpected.

"You're correct. The new medical technology was only put into effect and made available to the public a few years ago, but to be honest, it's been around just a little longer than that."

He would know after all. He had been one of the first few to try it out, courtesy of special acquaintances at the time.

Winry pulled herself up slightly from the bed in mild interest.

"How do you know about something like that? My mom and dad told me that the specialized prosthetics only became available to everyone two years ago. It's obvious they've been studying on it before that point, but I never heard about the new prosthetic surgery being practiced on anyone until those few years back," Winry frowned.

Showed how much she knew. It wasn't like it mattered if it was under the radar or not in Edward's opinion. Apparently, he had just been one of the lucky few to experience such a surgical process in its early days. But regardless of its public release, he had still endured it far earlier than many others.

Taking in a deep breath, Edward considered the idea for a little longer, before he allowed his left hand to slide over its gloved counterpart. This was something that he didn't like sharing with too many people. He didn't like receiving pity and he wasn't fond of retelling the tale of how it happened. So despite any heat waves that had passed through their city in the summer, Edward always had a tendency to wear long sleeves to avoid those that would pester him about his unnatural attachment. He got odd stares directed at him with every turn of the corner, but it didn't bother him too much.

With a few gentle tugs at the smooth fabric, Dr. Elric managed to slide the glove off of his fingers one after another. The sight of metal did little to disturb him, but he could sense Winry's surprise as he felt her eyes burn into him. It was something he should have expected, but it did cause him to feel slightly awkward regardless.

Placing the white glove atop Winry's small nightstand by her bed, Edward rolled up his right sleeve shortly after and allowed his feisty patient to take in the rest of the sight. Unlike many others, he had been unfortunate enough to lose the right arm he had been born with. In its place hung a metal substitute, with the addition of wires and screws to replace what had previously been veins and blood.

"I got this thing here when I was fourteen years old. A little earlier than most people, obviously. It's a pain in the ass to take care of, but it's handy to have around."

Winry's silence bothered him. He was starting to think that maybe showing her such a thing hadn't done much aside from frightening her. People could say that a fake arm didn't scare them, but more times than not, Edward could feel that he intimidated some of the people who got the opportunity to see his metallic prosthetic- perhaps Winry was now the same. However, her sudden need to reach out and grasp at that particular limb by the hand had confused him. She didn't seem afraid as he had originally thought. In fact, the moment his eyes traveled back up to hers, he was almost relieved to see a startling amount of interest on her face.

"Can you feel this at all?" she asked.

The question had somehow stung. Edward could very well feel touch with his left upper limb, but he didn't receive any physical sensations from his right arm- it wasn't real. So although he could look down to see Winry playing innocently with his metal fingers, it was impossible to feel it.

"No," he frowned.

"I've adapted to that though, so it's not a problem. It's only that arm, so I'm not oblivious to touch."

Watching her continue to tap and fiddle with his prosthetic, Edward tilted his head as Winry shamelessly tugged the limb closer to her. It would have been an understatement to say that she was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to mess with something so close to her passionate hobby. He just hoped she didn't try to take it apart- it would be disastrous.

"I thought I felt something different about you awhile back," Winry muttered.

Edward didn't have a clue what she meant, so he simply decided to remain silent and allow her the chance to explain.

"I can't say I remember too well when I tried to run out of this place, but when you caught me… I thought I felt a little more pressure coming from one of your arms. I felt the same thing when you spoke with me in the bathroom that day. I just eventually figured that you exercised a lot and had a bit of muscle that favored one side."

That certainly didn't sound too much like an insult to him. In fact, he couldn't help but feel some sense of pride bubbling up inside of him.

"I do regularly exercise. But I suppose it's obvious as to which side is stronger. But I'll admit, it helps me catch patients like you pretty easily," Edward grinned.

Winry huffed.

"I call that cheating."

"Oh? So catching patients is a game now? Tag, maybe?" Edward chuckled.

Winry turned her eyes away stubbornly. Her doctor could be such a frustrating young man.

"I thought you weren't going to talk to me like a doctor anymore."

Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"I thought it didn't matter to you either way. That's what you said earlier, right?"

Winry was usually so good with throwing insults and rude comments back at him, but she was shocked to find that he had done well to catch her off guard so quickly. For the first time, she couldn't think of anything to say to him- nothing that would put the odds in her favor anyways. But it didn't mean she couldn't try.

"It doesn't matter. Don't you have work to be getting back to?" she mumbled.

Dr. Elric lowered his eyes back down to his metal arm and focused his attention on the fingers. Winry didn't seem to realize it, but she was gripping onto his hand so tightly, he was surprised that she had not yet noticed. He couldn't feel it, but it did bring him back some welcoming confidence. She was a difficult girl, but he was certain that he could fix what was bothering her. He was a doctor after all; and that was what doctors were supposed to do.

Edward was even happy to find that she had not even decided to ask about the reason for his inevitable surgery to his arm. She was probably too distracted as of now to do so anyways- and for that he was grateful.

"I do, but I can't go anywhere if you don't decide to let go," he pointed out.

It was then that Winry had finally discovered what she had been doing the entire time. Lowering her head down in confusion, she was horrified to find herself still gripping onto Edward's hand, almost as though she were desperate to not let go. Perhaps it made her feel better to know that he couldn't feel her touch, for she had decided that it was best she rely on no one but herself. Winry didn't want to feel like she needed to lean on someone for support, regardless of how comforting it may seem at times. Besides… he didn't believe her anyways.

Pulling her hand back quickly, Winry scooted herself further up onto her bed and kept her eyes away from the one at her bedside.

"I should be getting ready for breakfast now," she said quietly.

Edward slowly nodded as he got up from his chair to retrieve the glove and slip it back over his hand, before yanking down the sleeve to cover the rest of his arm from view. He had done well to help Winry open up more to conversation, but he knew when it was time to step down. It truly benefited them both, for he didn't feel like sticking around to explain the tale of his surgery and the events that led up to it, and Winry appeared as though she was ready to get up and move around for the morning.

"Well I congratulate myself for getting you to talk more. If I had known that mentioning science and showing you a metal arm would get you to speak nicely, I would have done it awhile ago."

Dr. Elric shifted as he moved to slip his white coat back onto his solid form, before moving himself away from Winry's bedside and over to the door. He felt satisfied with how the session had gone, regardless of its lack of professional methods. He had done what he felt was the best way to approach her, and she had seemingly responded well to it.

"I'll leave you alone then to get ready. See you at breakfast, Winry. Don't cause too much trouble."

Stepping out of the room, Edward buried his hands back in his pockets and gave a quiet, disapproving shake of the head towards Riza on his way down the hall. He didn't feel Winry needed to be watched today. Last time he had made a sloppy decision, but he was feeling more confident about Winry's behavior presently- if only for just the day. Their talk wasn't long, and it really couldn't be considered therapeutic on a medical scale, but it seemed to be enough for him. And he had a feeling it was just enough for Winry at the moment as well.

It was just too bad he couldn't have been there to see that small, yet favorable smile form on his patient's lips before he left the room. Surely he would have appreciated it.

* * *

Silverbell: There you go! I hope that was long enough and it was a nice beginning for Edward and Winry. Very small, but its something! Hope you all enjoyed it! I'll try to update again soon! Probably not till October! But god... the two are so stubborn, its enough to make you pull your hair out. But until then, I leave you with this! Love you all! And remember... Edward isn't good with women and children! XD!


	14. The Bittersweet Discussion

NOTE: I would like to say that if this becomes offensive to anyone for any purpose, whether it be medical bending in the rules or if some of you simply disagree with me on my view of treatment centers, you are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read…

* * *

The ways of the hospital began to shift into a sense of normalcy for Winry with the passing days. She couldn't say she was too relaxed or content with her situation, but her thoughts of receiving an early discharge or planning another escape were beginning to fade. She found herself wondering whether that could be considered a good thing or possibly bad. The doctors and remaining medical staff would argue that it was something to praise, but Winry didn't want herself to feel as though she had lost the battle. She wanted to remain firm on her decisions of treatment centers and medicine, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with each passing day. Her body wanted to fall into the swing of things… She didn't want to feel as though she were at war with every person that spoke to her in the building. But she also didn't want the staff to believe she was succumbing to their ways of handling certain situations. In conclusion, Winry convinced herself that she didn't have to agree, but could at least allow her stubborn attitude to die down for the time being. Things were not ideal for her, but they were relaxing enough. And although she still continued her refusal to take part in the group therapy sessions, she did manage to sit down quietly throughout their activities.

Winry was also now able to fully try and enjoy the bizarre company of Paninya, who was given full permission to become roommates with her once again. The girl was truly an oddball, but she did provide her with some interesting conversation during the day and night; although most of them consisted of tales terrorizing Dr. Elric and the fellow staff.

Currently, the two were on their way down one of the halls of the facility to participate in a school session. The classroom was beyond small and Winry found that she always became a little too warm within it. The chairs were squeezed too close together, the pencils were just as cheap and useless as the ones they were given in the Day Room, and the tables were that pasty blue color she disliked so much. Apparently, the hospital felt it was important to keep them educated, but the amount of space and décor didn't seem to matter. They might as well have been sardines crammed together for a good hour and a half, and the teacher they were given was as stuffy as an old boot.

"Mr. Falman is such a snore. He talks like a textbook, and he always calls on me for the answer. I don't even raise my hand," Paninya complained with a snort.

Winry shrugged and continued to follow the straight line towards the cramped classroom.

"I'm sure it's because he knows that you never pay attention," she responded.

"It's hard to pay attention to someone who's boring. Why can't Dr. Elric be our teacher? He'd probably be a little more interesting. Besides, it would be even more fun to throw paper balls and paper airplanes at _him_."

Winry rolled her eyes.

"And you wonder why Mr. Falman doesn't like you. You act like a five year old when we go in here. I can only imagine the trouble you've been causing him all this time."

"You cause trouble for Dr. Elric, yet you don't seem to mind. What's the difference?"

Winry instantly felt stumped.

"It's not like I'm doing it for sport. He's always bothering _me_ first. You act like I'm the one with the problem."

At least that was how it felt.

Either way, the two decided to abandon their beginning conversation on Dr. Eric the moment they reached the tiny classroom. Winry could already feel the uncomfortable heat from the distance. She truly wasn't looking forward to stepping inside- group actually sounded like the better activity compared to this.

Shuffling inside past the other patients, Winry did well to gently nudge some of the slower ones aside so she could get herself a comfortable seat within- Paninya, on the other hand, chose to go the way of shoving and pushing.

Mr. Falman chose to remain seated throughout the entire hustle and bustle, and used his time to organize the paperwork on his desk. He didn't mind teaching the patients in this place, but some of them could be so difficult. He liked to believe that he had the tolerance for this type of work, but sometimes he wondered how he had ever gotten convinced to take on such a job.

Once the classroom became relatively quiet as the group seated themselves, Mr. Falman ran a hand though his disheveled hair and carefully got to his feet to speak.

"Good afternoon everyone. I'm hoping you're all ready to learn some new things today."

As usual, the man received an awkward silence and pitiful stares in response.

"We'll be going over spelling and reading for an hour, and the last thirty minutes will be spent on some life science worksheets from last time."

Winry suppressed a slight groan. She didn't mind the subject of science, but this particular area of it was more than a little boring in her opinion. They had gone over the structure of plants numerous amounts of times. She probably could even name the parts off in her sleep at night if she tried.

'_Thankfully, it's the last thirty minutes of class. There's nothing too difficult about a little reading and spelling right now,' _she thought.

This was her opinion alone, of course. Paninya had a completely different view on English study. Not only did she find it boring and stiff, but she lacked the skills that revolved around the subject completely.

"If you all would please use the books on your desk and open them to chapter one," Falman instructed.

Since the books were limited due to lack of funding, many of the patients in the room had no choice but to share with one another. It usually ended with two per book, so Winry and Paninya were forced to squeeze themselves closer together in order to both comfortably view the pages before them.

"Now if I could have someone volunteer to read the first page of the book, it would be much appreciated. Practice is what helps us get better."

Winry already knew how to read relatively well, so she ultimately decided against the voluntary job. In her opinion, it was best to get those without good reading skills a chance to try a couple sentences out.

"Paninya, don't be a sissy. Raise your hand and try," she whispered, giving the girl beside her a good nudge.

Her roommate instantly bristled at the interruption, yet continued on her work to create a paper airplane on the large desk.

"Nah, I'm not the reading type. It's not my specialty."

Winry slumped and gave a casual shrug.

"That's the point of practice."

As Falman began his search for a potential reader of the first page, Winry allowed her eyes to lazily roam the room and disappear into the back of her mind for the time to think. She wished the classroom had windows, for she had seen from her bed that it had been raining since the early morning.

Winry wasn't quite certain on what she should think of the rain. It seemed like a depressing type of weather to be viewing, yet at the same time she had found a strange comfort within it. The sun commonly was the stereotypical picture to describe happiness and joy, but rain also had a way of bringing peace to many people. She almost found herself wishing she could stand outside in it now, if only for a couple minutes.

"Paninya, why don't you read this time? I think it's a better alternative to making those paper airplanes you like so much."

Winry's roommate paused in her third constructed paper plane and pasted a smile on her face as she lifted her eyes.

"I don't like books. Besides, Winry does better with voices. She's got a pretty one, right? Pick her."

The mention of her name slowly brought Winry from her thoughts on the rain as she tilted her head over to the ongoing conversation. She hadn't been listening to what the topic was about, but judging by Paninya's face, she could tell it had something to do with reading. She could easily see their teacher shifting his eyes back and forth between the two of them.

"Winry? Would you care to read the next paragraph for us?" Falman asked.

Honestly? She didn't really care to do anything of the sort. She had been almost completely content in her thoughts on the weather. Books were interesting, but her mind was not focused on reading texts. However, declining the offer to read sounded rude, considering the poor man rarely found any true volunteers. It was just too bad that the stories he chose for reading material were considered rather dry to most people. And it wasn't as though they were allowed to read anything too intimate or violent either. The book they were viewing now appeared to be a romance novel, but the description could bore most people to tears.

Elbowing Paninya irritably and giving her an annoyed shove off to the side for lack of space, Winry scooted closer in her chair to gain a better view of the open book before her and slowly began to read the long paragraph. As she did so, her mind felt itself beginning to drift. No longer was her attention focused on her monotone reading, but was now circling around Dr. Elric. That arm of his has been fascinating. The machinery she had tinkered with lacked in comparison to what she had seen on Edward. Winry had taken apart clocks, stereos, ovens, and had even been allowed the chance to inspect her father's old truck. Her grandmother had educated her slightly on prosthetics, but she had never gotten the opportunity to see one quite as advanced as Edward's had been. Older models had delayed functions and didn't move anywhere near as smoothly as her doctor's. Of course, she did still wonder how he had managed to lose his limb in the first place. It couldn't have been too wonderful. In fact, Winry couldn't help but begin to imagine all the possibilities. Truth be told, she actually did possess a very vivid imagination at times- especially when it came to mechanics. So now that she had gotten to see his metal replacement it would continue to bother her until she got the answer. Until then, she would just have to remain patient and curious.

"Ms. Rockbell? Would you care to tell us what the author was trying to express in that paragraph?"

Mr. Falman's voice cut through Winry's thoughts the moment she finished reading the specified section. She even had to repeat the question in her head in order to truly understand. Unfortunately, it still did very little for her. Winry had not been paying attention to even one sentence! She attempted to skim the length of the page, but all she managed to see were bundles of useless words and random descriptions. Paninya did little to help either, for she had gone right back to her paper plane building.

"Well… he was trying to say that… um…" Winry mumbled uneasily. It was obvious that she was lost. Wasn't the author writing about a bench meeting or something?

"He was… I mean I think he was…" Winry stumbled again with her words and looked back down to the page. If she had the ability to comprehend a mass of words with a simple stare, it would have been much appreciated.

"_She_ was expressing the sense of destiny and fate that focused around the particular area in her description- in this case, it was the bench. She also took great care in describing the milestones that were created from that same location. It's an in depth description of the popular 'love at first sight' for the author and her partner."

Winry initially would have been bristling with the unexpected explanation of the paragraph she had read- especially when considering who the person was. The voice, as usual, was brimming with confidence.

"I wasn't aware that you read these types of novels, Dr. Elric."

Winry turned her head to the door of the classroom, staring into those familiar golden eyes.

"_Show off," _she thought.

Either way, she felt relief for his satisfying input. Usually, Winry would be fuming in annoyance from his presence, but he had been the very reason she had gotten distracted in the first place.

"My little brother is the big fan, but I flip through them from time to time- enough to get the gist of everything," Edward explained.

Dr. Elric stepped a little further into the room with a gentle shrug of his shoulders.

"K.C. Brooks is the author, right? The house I'm staying in has almost every one of her bestsellers. It's hard not to become familiar with her."

Mr. Falman gave a confident and impressed smile before moving back towards his desk. It appeared as though Winry's expected explanation of the paragraph had been forgotten for the time being. Their teacher now seemed more interested in the rarity of Dr. Elric's company during the school hours.

"Well I doubt you came in here for a lesson. Did you need anything?" Falman asked.

Edward sighed and flipped a pen casually inbetween his fingers with an annoyed huff.

"To be honest, I was looking for my cup of coffee. I guess I lost it again. Farrah is gonna yell at me when I tell her."

Winry inwardly flinched. She remembered that old woman. Farrah had been present at the time she was admitted into this treatment center. She couldn't say she cared much for her at all. She was cranky and rude.

"But since my coffee isn't in here, I really should start snagging my patients one a time and discuss their treatment," Edward explained.

This wasn't all that uncommon. All of the doctors' had to find times to speak with their patients about medication dosages, discharge dates and treatment goals in general. The conversations with patients always seemed to vary though. Some of the teens in this facility loved discussing their progress, while others chose to remain stubborn and keep to themselves. Winry liked to see herself as somewhere inbetween. It felt somewhat comforting to talk about things from time to time, but she never did appreciate it when people forced it out of her- which was why she decided to take it upon herself to volunteer first. Besides, she sincerely doubted that Edward would have enough nerve to call her forward in the beginning.

Slowly pushing herself to her feet, Winry moved the book aside and cleared her throat.

"Can I talk to you first?" She mumbled quietly. It felt awkward to so suddenly be eager for these scheduled talks, but it had to better than sitting in this cramped classroom.

As Winry had fully expected, she received numerous odd stares from all around- especially from Edward and Paninya… To hear her so willingly go along with Dr. Elric seemed miraculous, for she usually spent the days trying to avoid him at all costs. Apparently the talk they had shared together had done more than anyone could have imagined. It hadn't even been that far in depth either- just mindless nonsense about animals and a touch of advanced prosthetics. But it really had been the last part that had gotten her attention. It had given her that slight push that she needed to at least be on talking terms with him.

Winry stubbornly held Dr. Elric's gaze as he considered her request. She could tell he was still trying to figure out why she was being so suddenly cooperative. But it must have dawned on him relatively quickly though, judging by the gloomy expression forming on his face and slumping posture. Edward must have realized that Winry's sharp curiosity and eagerness was stemming from her fascination with his right arm. It made sense. It had been his fault to begin with. He had made the decision to show her, and now he had to put up with her pestering questions in exchange of her intolerable attitude.

"Alright, Winry… You first." Edward gave a quick nod in Falman's direction, before beckoning his blonde patient forward.

"I'll give her back as soon as we're finished."

He wasn't ready to estimate a time for Falman yet. He had no idea how long their conversation was going to be. It always seemed to change, depending on the topic.

Watching with mild interest, Edward kept his eyes on her as she shuffled and maneuvered her way through the desks, chairs, and other patients. He could easily see that she was relieved to get out of the stuffy atmosphere.

It didn't take long for Winry to move past her curious doctor and outside of the classroom for some open air. It couldn't compare to the actual outdoors, but it would be sufficient enough for her. Plus, she now got to have a much needed break from watching her obnoxious roommate build those paper planes.

The two walked side by side for a short time before Winry slowed to a stop inside the Day Room. She could easily see through the windows that a light trickle of rain was still falling to the ground. It looked rather welcoming to her. The weather wasn't heavy and miserable either. It appeared calm and very relaxing- something she could appreciate.

"I assume you're the type that likes to watch the rain?" Edward asked quietly.

Winry gave a simple shrug and placed one hand along the cold glass window. If she listened carefully enough, she could even hear the raindrops tapping on the outside.

"Sometimes… I suppose I'm just trying to appreciate it more now that I'm stuck in this place. I used to sit by the window at home when it would rain. I never had to do anything either. I probably could have sat there for hours until the storm would pass."

Winry was certain that she had lost track of time at least once within her bedroom. If she was given the option to go to her hospital room at the moment, she probably would do the same there as well.

"Dr. Elric? While I'm on long term… Do I ever get to go outside?"

Edward had gotten so used to hearing his patient call him by first name, so to hear a formal title had startled him. Turning his eyes in her general direction, he frowned and considered the question.

"I wouldn't think you would be expected to stay indoors for an entire year or even a half, Winry. I have other patients who are going through long term treatment just like you. To be honest, they go out every couple weeks with their family for a dinner. There's a time limit, but it still gives them a decent amount of freedom."

Winry wasn't pleased with the answer, but at least it was something to hold onto. At the moment, she wasn't feeling very happy with her parents. They were the ones who dumped her here in the first place, and despite all the begging the hospital staff was doing to get her to talk about her problems, Winry kept herself stubbornly silent. Why bother telling another soul of that particular night when her own doctor would not even consider it?

Placing her forehead against the glass quietly, Winry allowed the cool window to soothe her aching head. Perhaps she really had taken the outside world for granted. If she had tried to appreciate it more, maybe she wouldn't have run into so many problems. How stupid she had been…

Edward stood quietly at her side and watched the dark clouds hover in the sky. He personally wasn't a fan of the rain-many of his darkest hours had occurred in the stormy weather.

Rubbing gingerly along the top edges of his prosthetic limb, Dr. Elric sighed in discomfort and turned his head to observe their surroundings. For the most part it was empty, aside from Rose filling out paperwork at the nurses' station. The other patients were still participating in class work, and the ones who monitored the behavior of the said patients and lead them through group therapy were most likely squished within the classroom as well.

'_I really hope I'm not gonna regret this,' _Edward thought quietly to himself.

Checking over the area again to make certain they were alone, Dr. Elric ran his hand through his long blonde hair, before moving quietly over to the courtyard door within the Day Room. He could almost feel Winry's curious stare behind him, but he chose to ignore it as he rummaged around for the key in his pocket. Once he had acquired it, Edward stuck it quickly in the lock and gave it a swift turn.

'_There's not exactly anywhere for her to run,' _Edward reasoned.

'_It's just a small square structured area with a small tree in the middle and a lousy bench.' _

Turning the handle of the door, Dr. Elric gave it a simple push forward, before turning his eyes over to her in warning.

"Five minutes… You look like you really want to go out there, so…"

He could tell that Winry was more than a little surprised at this turn of events. In fact, it was even taking her a few moments to even register what he was doing for her.

"I'll also have you know that the stump of what's left of my arm aches in this weather, so you better appreciate it," he grumbled.

It wasn't like he was lying. The cold weather really did make him ache. It also brought back some pretty terrible memories, but it seemed to strangely soothe the girl beside him, so he tolerated it for her.

Winry slowly moved her head away from the window and placed her hands at her side. She could see that her doctor had opened the door that led into the courtyard, but she was having trouble comprehending it. It was a rather small token of kindness, but nevertheless, Winry appreciated it.

It took her a good while to reach the door, but when she did, she couldn't help but look cautiously over at Edward. It wasn't that she was currently afraid of him; Winry just wanted to make sure that he truly had intentions of actually letting her outside- she had tried to run away after all not too long ago.

Once she had gotten a nod of approval from him, the girl stepped out into the light rain and instantly breathed in the scent of the outside air. It was refreshing. It was also cold, but she eagerly welcomed it. It felt much better than that uncomfortable classroom. Her doctor probably would have agreed if he had been in there longer.

"You're being awfully nice to suddenly let me go outside," Winry commented as she slid on the damp bench beneath the tree. A little water never hurt anybody.

Edward shrugged as he slowly followed her, but chose to remain standing at her side for the time being.

"Before I unlocked the door, I made sure there was nowhere for you to go. So unless you want to attempt to climb up that measly tree and jump for the nearest wall, I really don't think I have anything to worry about," he mumbled.

Winry hid a small smile.

"And if I were to try and climb up the tree…?"

"You wouldn't get far," Edward answered casually.

"Are you saying that you would even climb up trees to catch one of your patients?"

Dr. Elric chuckled and turned to place one gloved hand on the nearest branch alongside the bench, fiddling aimlessly with it.

"You don't think I could? If you think my white coat is likely to slow me down, I dare you to give it a try."

How interesting- usually conversation was difficult to come by between the two. Winry was finding it strangely easy at the moment.

"You're encouraging me to try and escape then?" she asked.

Edward continued to play with the small branch.

"I didn't say that. I just said that if you did, you wouldn't manage to get far up that tree."

Winry rolled her eyes.

"You're overly confident, doctor," she accused.

At least she wanted to believe he was incapable. Truth be told, Edward probably _could_ climb remarkably fast in order to yank her back down. Winry knew this, but she chose to be difficult.

"Only one way to find out," he said.

She was speechless. Dr. Elric truly was not one's average medical professional. Normal doctors did not 'dare' their patient to escape or stand outside in the rain with them to have a chat. It was very strange indeed.

"It almost sounds like you're up for the challenge," Winry noted.

Edward released the branch from his fingers and finally focused his golden eyes towards the bench.

"You forget that I'm not a stuffy old man like the other doctors in this hospital. Unlike them, I need the exercise."

That appeared to be true. Dr. Elric _was _the only young medical expert in this building. It shouldn't have been too shocking to hear that he actually enjoyed physical endurance and younger based activities.

"Do you play sports?" Winry asked.

"On occasion… I'm not exactly a team player," he answered.

Edward didn't seem like he would be either. Winry couldn't really see him participating in any serious sport with other young men like himself for some reason.

"Basketball, maybe?" she questioned.

An annoyed snort was instantly the response.

"Do I look like a basketball kind of guy to you?"

Winry tilted her head off to the side in consideration.

"I guess not. And I really don't see you playing football," she answered.

Edward rested his weight appreciatively on the tree behind him as his frame slowly began to inch itself on the bench beside her. He wasn't aiming to make Winry uncomfortable, but he was gradually feeling the urge to sit down.

"That's a relief, because I never did see the entertainment in running back and forth with a cone shaped ball to score touchdowns. Besides, I tackle enough people as it is while I work here."

He wasn't lying either. He had gotten Winry pretty good the night she had attempted to run away. Why tackle people for a football when he had his hands full catching escaping patients?

"Anyway, I did only say five minutes maximum out here. What possessed you to volunteer first for my scheduling?" Dr. Elric asked.

"You spent a gracious amount of time trying to get away from me and never failed to give me hateful looks. You shouldn't expect me to not be surprised by this sudden change of heart," he continued.

Winry stubbornly turned her head away, keeping her hands promptly in her lap as she struggled to give him a reasonable answer.

"You're conversation with me before was interesting, I guess. What's wrong with wanting to continue it?"

That was a lie. She had been annoyed with their conversation in the beginning. Edward had pestered her with mindless questions about favorite animals and the likes. It was only when he had revealed a secret part of himself did she gain interest; something her doctor already was aware of.

"I care to disagree. If I didn't know any better, I would say you want to continue the last topic we discussed before I released you for breakfast a couple days ago," he argued.

It would have been best if Winry had just given in to his accusation, considering that it was true… but naturally, she was defensive.

"I didn't say anything about that. What makes you think I just don't want to talk about my progress so far in this treatment center?" she snapped.

Edward raised a brow and grinned.

"Oh? Are you now?"

Winry lowered her eyes and forced a nod.

"I might be."

Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say, for Edward chose to 'playfully' take her words seriously.

"If that's the case, then I suppose I should start by asking you a few basic questions about this progress of yours."

Winry refused to drop the stubborn attitude she had acquired within their short time and gave a casual shrug.

"Go ahead," she grumbled.

It wasn't like she _really _wanted to hear the questions from her young doctor, but she felt far too proud to admit that she had truly wanted to discuss his metal prosthetics. Now she was stuck having to respond to things she had no interest in.

"How has your sleep been?" Edward began.

Winry arched a brow and carefully eyed the other up and down.

"Where's your infamous clipboard? Aren't you supposed to write everything down?"

He instantly chuckled.

"I'll go get it if that's what you prefer."

She didn't. It always had made her uncomfortable when people within this building chose to jot almost everything she said down onto a paper. It was probably the reason why her discussion of her personal feelings came so rarely. It didn't feel safe to reveal too many things.

"I'll pass, thanks," Winry muttered.

Glancing back up to the cloudy sky, she could feel the raindrops become heavier as they hit against her soft skin. Her bandaged arms still ached, but she refused to let that interfere with her precious time outdoors. She had no idea when she would be given this chance again, so she was making certain that she enjoyed it for all that it was worth.

"So?"

Winry blinked curiously and turned her attention back to her awaiting doctor. He seemed expectant- as though he was waiting for an answer from her. What had the question been again? She couldn't remember.

"So… What?" she asked.

Edward grinned in amusement.

"How has your sleep been?" he repeated slowly.

Winry's sleep was fair to put it mildly. She tossed and turned a good amount, but she always felt that she fell asleep within a reasonable amount of time. It was the nightmares that bothered her. But she wasn't ready to discuss those. Edward would have to believe the core of her story in order to understand her night terrors; it was unfortunate that he did not.

"It's been okay, I guess."

"Good. What about those arms of yours? I'm hoping that they're at least beginning to heal nicely," Dr. Elric said.

They were definitely healing, but the pain was still uncomfortable. However, she in no way could manage to regret what she had done to her body. So despite the burning sensation she received from the cuts on her skin, she never felt remorseful for her actions.

"They're healing…" she shrugged.

Edward had not seen the recovery of her arms since the day they had first bandaged them up. Since then, he had allowed the nurses to do the work. The sight of blood did not bother him- but he was no specialist on first aid. He knew just enough to get by, but that was the gist of it.

Taking in a breath of the misty air, Dr. Elric turned on the bench to reach forward to lift Winry's arms for a simple inspection. He could tell that they had changed her bandages again, but judging from the appearance, the lacerations beneath were still lightly bleeding.

"I'm really hoping you'll choose not to do something like this again, Winry."

Edward wasn't going to press the issue, so he chose to leave it at that. He wasn't scolding her; just giving her his hopes of anti repetition to cutting. As expected though, Winry remained silent on the issue, and turned her attention back to the cloudy, thundering sky. For a moment, Edward thought he would have to encourage her to speak again, but his patient surprised him with a few choice words.

"You give me advice on my arms, but what about yours? You're missing your right one," she pointed out.

That had sounded far crueler than she had wanted it to. Winry hadn't meant to be rude, but her wording had come out more than a little harsh. Perhaps it was in her best interest to try and fix her mistake.

"I mean…you… you should take care of yourself too. You must have done something reckless to yourself in order to lose one of your arms."

That probably hadn't sounded any better. But thankfully, Edward took no true offense. Instead, he remained disturbingly silent. The rain's persistent fall had done a number on his blonde bangs, causing his golden eyes to fall beneath them, shadowing his gaze completely.

Winry had truly wondered if she had accidentally hurt his feelings. He may not have gotten angry, but it didn't mean he wasn't affected by it. She knew she had no right to push into a situation of which she had no knowledge of. She had shamelessly just used Edward's concern for_ her_ arms as an excuse to bring up his own. She was acting no better than the nosy doctors she had come to despise within the years. Still, her curiosity was intolerable, and she hated it. It had only taken one glance at the secret beneath Edward's coat to interest her. The girl's passion for mechanics had caused her mind to race in excitement at the thought of learning more about that metal prosthetic. However, she had to learn the art of empathy and the patience to consider someone else's feelings. Dr. Elric may have annoyed her many times, but his rights to privacy should have been just as valued as her own.

"Edward? I just-

"I wasn't reckless," he muttered.

Winry remained silent, watching the other get to his feet and pocket his hands into his coat. She had thought he would say more, but the moment he moved forward towards the building's door, she sincerely doubted it.

"It's been way past five minutes, Winry. We should get back inside before one of those nurses come out here to nag at me for letting you outside."

It wasn't often that she felt guilty for the things that she said, but Winry was feeling just that. She knew that the words she had said earlier had been uncalled for. She truly hadn't meant to be rude, but her defensive nature had gotten the best of her. It was just too bad that it involved something she had taken quite a shine to. Now their beginning conversation was coming to an abrupt stop thanks to her roundabout meddling.

Taking one last look at the sky above her, Winry savored the final sensations of the light rainfall, before pushing herself up from the bench to follow after her blonde doctor. It was only then she could feel the discomfort of the water on the ground sink into her cushioned white slippers on her feet. She had had the option to wear actual shoes, but at the time it had seemed more logical to choose something in favor of comfort. Tennis shoes, boots, and sandals just didn't fit that description in her eyes- at least not in a hospital.

Walking up behind Edward, Winry watched and waited as the door was opened for her to step through. She knew that within the next few minutes she would be back within that old classroom, trapped with the other patients and forced to read that mild romance novel. The very thought of it caused her to hesitate. Not to mention that the guilt she felt was also poking at her. It wouldn't kill her to at least try to say something to him.

"Thank you," she whispered uneasily.

It wasn't the apology that she had wanted to say, but at least it was some words of gratitude.

"Hmm? For what?" Edward grumbled.

Winry had a feeling he already knew what she had been thanking him for, but was choosing to act childish and dense. Apparently his reasons for the prosthetic arm were touchy to say the least. His sudden behavior towards her was proof enough.

"For letting me go outside. I appreciated it."

Dr. Elric gripped his right shoulder and soothingly rubbed along the ends, nodding his head.

"Yeah, don't mention it. Just don't go announcing it to everyone. And don't get sick now either," he grumped.

Winry cracked a small smile and took a step inside of the Day Room, half heartedly welcoming the warmth. It felt nice, but she still preferred the calming rain.

"I have a stable immune system. I don't think you have anything to worry about," she reassured.

Hearing the door shut behind them, Winry turned to look back outside the window once more. It had only been a couple minutes out in the courtyard, but the sitting had been very nice and enjoyable. This was now the second time she had managed to make an interesting conversation with her doctor… and of all the places to be too- a simple location with a bench beneath a humble tree.

'_She was expressing the sense of destiny and fate that focused around the particular area in her description- in this case, it was the bench. She also took great care in describing the milestones that were created from that same location. It's an in depth description of the popular 'love at first sight' for the author and her partner.'_

Edward's detailed explanation of the romance novel they had been reading in class suddenly slipped into the depths of her mind. Why had those words seemed so important right now? Perhaps the sight of the bench had brought the thought back up. It did seem to fit the description after all.

'_I doubt J.C. Brooks met the love of her life in a hospital,' _Winry mused to herself.

"I'm curious. Are you really going to just stand there and stare out the window? If it means that much to you, I'll take you out there again sometime. I'll just make sure I stay on guard and be ready to scale that tree outside if you ever get the urge to hop that wall," Edward snorted.

Winry turned her eyes to the young man beside her and puffed her cheeks out in annoyance.

"Yeah, well if I ever do get that urge, you'll be the last person I inform. And if I do escape, you'll be sorry you ever gave me that idea," she bristled.

Edward arched a brow.

"Well thank you. I'm honored that I would be last on your list. It makes me feel special."

Had she really felt sorry for him moments ago? He had seemed so sad too! Apparently Edward had the capability to either brush pain aside or genuinely forgive and forget. Maybe he was even able to do both? Regardless, Winry balled her hands into fists at her side, feeling the urge to pout like a child in response to his words. Turning her back to him and the window of the courtyard, she began to make her way back to the small classroom down the hall.

"I'm assuming our discussion is over. I'll be going back to class now," she grumbled.

"Then do me a favor and send one of my other patients out?" Edward requested, calling out to her.

Winry nodded.

"I'll send Paninya. She's dying to talk to you anyway."

"Please don't…" Edward flinched.

Without another word, the girl exited the Day Room and began her short walk back to class within the hospital. She had been attempting to stay in an emotionless mood for the sake of being too proud, but it was unfortunately ending in utter failure. Winry's conversation with Dr. Elric had been at most, bittersweet. She knew she had hurt his feelings near the end, but overall… she had enjoyed her time outside with him. He was a grumpy, sarcastic guy, but he had been somehow managing to make her smile. They were very small ones, but they were definitely a start.

It was even safe to say that Edward had coaxed her interest in the famous J.C. Brooks. So needless to say… the remaining class time for her wasn't all that bad.

She had even decided to make a paper airplane right before sending her obnoxious roommate out to Dr. Elric-what an unimaginable 'joy' that would be for him.

* * *

Silverbell: I'll bet the lot of you are angry with me. I did say I would update in October... But I do have a good excuse! I have two actually... One would be that my friend came to stay for the month so I was kinda showing her around. I live in Las Vegas, so she was eager to get around and have a look at those hotels and casinos. And two...! I became officially engaged last month. I'm... very excited and flattered. So there.. Winry and Edward had yet another talk! And the only way I can describe it is as Winry believes it to be... Bittersweet. Love you all!

Note- Also.. to bloodynessie! Thank you for your encouragement! I was preparing to respond back to you, but your messaging is disabled! In any case, it is true. Writing the beginning of a romance between two insanely stubborn people is rather difficult. But I'm determined to get it right! Thanks again for the support and the kind message!


	15. Considerations

NOTE: I would like to say that this may be seen as offensive to some, whether it be for medical bending of the rules or a disagreement in views of treatment centers. You are not being forced to read it. Please simply close the page and we'll both remain happy. I'm not trying to come off rude, but it's only a warning before you read...

* * *

"So did you guys kiss?"

Winry instantly rolled her eyes. Her pushy roommate had been nagging at her about this specific topic for a good half hour by now. She had picked up on her good mood during the remainder of class, and found it miraculous when Winry had decided to create one of her very own paper airplanes. After all, she hadn't been the type to construct such things- especially not during a class session.

"You're being overdramatic, you know? Nothing happened… He's my doctor for god's sake. What did you expect him to do?"

Somehow, she doubted that she wanted to hear an answer- Paninya had been known to give very strange ones.

"Kiss you. What else? That's why I'm asking. Did he?" she persisted.

Winry groaned inwardly as she shuffled around on her small, unmade bed. She had fixed the blankets and sheets that morning, so she held no concerns of losing points for a disastrous bed as of now. Besides, Paninya's stubbornness was more than enough reason to toss her sheets around.

"No. He didn't kiss me. Why would you even assume something crazy like that? He's my doctor, Paninya," she explained again slowly. Sometimes her roommate could be so frustrating.

"Well, you did volunteer to go first when he stepped in. And from what I kept hearing, you despise him. So it sounds to me like some sort of lustful attraction. I mean if I were you're doctor, I sure wouldn't hesitate to give you a good feel or two. Dr. Elric is a lucky guy."

By this time, Winry had grown use to Paninya's shameless attempts at flirting with her. In the beginning, she admittedly had been a little shaken up at the thought of a female complimenting her looks and body, but any fear she had felt at first was now little to none. Paninya was harmless, she was certain; a little odd now and then, but definitely harmless. She may have inflicted pain on herself, but Winry could never imagine the girl attacking someone in such an inappropriate manner. However, beating someone within an inch of their life… was a different story.

Instead of choosing to comment on Paninya's not-so-subtle hint, Winry climbed out of her unorganized bed and traveled the small distance to the large window of their room. As far as she could see, the clouds were only growing darker, and the cold was graciously pushing into the glass, chilling her fingertips on the surface. The rain appeared to have gotten worse as well, but that had been so easily expected. Still, she would not complain… In this hospital, she was finding this weather somehow a growing comfort more than a burden.

"You sure like that window, don't ya, girly? It's so gloomy outside though. What's there to look at?" Paninya asked, still seated on her bed.

Winry made an educated guess to assume that the girl she shared her room with wasn't the type to admire such beauty; not to say that she didn't care for stormy weather, but staring at raindrops from a window didn't seem to entertain her nearly as much as constructing paper planes.

"I'd rather do something more exciting," her roommate mumbled.

"Did you wanna go get a deck of cards out of the Day Room?"

Winry was starting to grow bored with playing cards and everything else that was located in the Day Room. What she would give to get her hands on something motivational. Nothing in this building appeared to provide such an opportunity, and her roommate seemed to agree, judging by the sudden distasteful look crossing her face.

"I think I've done every single activity that little room has to offer. Cards, puzzles, board games, and I even tried to read a book. That says a lot for me."

Winry inwardly agreed. She would have thought it impossible to get the girl to read anything. But then again…

"What kind of book was it?" she asked.

Paninya beamed a broad, proud smile.

"A special edition comic book; it's called 'When Aliens and Ducks Attack', volume three. It's kind of interesting. I wish they had the other two here. Those ducks and aliens make quite a team, you know? I'd join them any day.

It figured. Paninya wouldn't touch a real novel with a ten foot stick if her life depended on it. A comic seemed reasonable for her rambunctious personality.

"You'd… probably fit in just fine too, no doubt. The aliens would be happy to have you," Winry mumbled.

"Don't forget the ducks!"

"And the ducks…"

It made her wonder just why a mental institution would have such a comic. If someone came into this facility sane, they probably would leave the opposite if they got ahold of that particular 'book'. Aliens and ducks working together in apparent world domination was definitely an odd combination. Still, it made Paninya happy, so what was the harm?

"I wasn't aware a hospital like this would accept reading material like that, considering the violence factor," she said, continuing her gaze out the window. The clouds grew darker still, and she believed her eyes were even detecting small hints of fog.

"Hey, it doesn't have blood or anything. An eight year old could even enjoy it. It's perfectly reasonable," Paninya argued.

Winry feared the day the other girl would have children. She could only imagine what Paninya felt was reasonable; she had already gotten an idea of her values, and needless to say, they were unimpressive. And it wasn't to suggest that hers were all that grand either. She had a painfully stubborn attitude, obvious personal problems, and sarcasm to boot. The hospital staff was still learning that relatively quick within the week she had been here so far. Still, she knew she had a better sense of morality than her fellow roommate. She wasn't addicted to drugs, and if she _were _to have a future, it wouldn't be one of flipping burgers for the rest of her life. She wasn't exactly sure what she would like to be, but no doubt it would involve some form of mechanics. It didn't fit in with the category of female careers, but that didn't matter to her.

'_Maybe it's a good sign that I'm even considering a future for myself in the first place. I'd bet Dr. Elric would be happy to hear it.'_

Winry instantly paused in her thought process. She was doing it again! In fact, she believed this was either the second or third time she had done it. For any trace amounts of positive thinking that she would apply to herself, she hopelessly would bring up Dr. Elric and his high chance of approval. To most people, they would take it as a sign of cooperation and beneficial treatment steps, but Winry's infamous stubborn trait took it as a weakness. She didn't want to start relying on a doctor; especially not him. And although she wasn't quite sure what direct issue she had with him, it seemed crucial to her to remain independent of his help or any other form of assistance.

'_Besides, he tossed me in the Quiet Room.'_

But he had sympathized with her enough to give her a couple gracious minutes outside in the courtyard. It had been cold and rainy, but that small amount of time had truly meant the world to her. After all, outings would now be so few and far between.

"Come on, Win. Stop staring and let's get ready for dinner. It's better than sitting here watching the boring ol' rain," complained Paninya.

That was something she definitely cared to disagree with. She already had heard what kind of dinner they would be having, and wasn't at all thrilled with the choices. Staring at the rain for a little longer was more than welcome in her eyes in exchange of that dreadful meal they would be having for the evening. But to avoid any unnecessary whining from the girl seated on the bed, Winry reluctantly gave in and moved away from the window.

"Alright, fine. It's getting too foggy outside to see anything interesting anyway. But I'll have you know that tonight's dinner isn't going to be too appealing for either of us."

Paninya quickly shuffled out of her bed, adjusting the socks on her feet, before carelessly kicking her fuzzy black slippers to the side.

"Oh? Try me. I'm not a picky person."

Winry wrinkled her nose.

"The disgusting mushy meatloaf with a side of that discolored stew we had a few nights back. Don't tell me you enjoyed that stuff."

_She_ sure hadn't. And it would do her just fine to not have to encounter that miserable sludge ever again. In her opinion, the taste, texture, and smell of that stew belonged on a farm out in the countryside to feed pigs- at least they would enjoy it.

"Are you kidding? That stuff tastes like my grandma's specialty. What's so bad about it? The smell is a little odd, but the taste is unique," Paninya offered.

"Unique is hardly the word I would describe it as. I just think you've been in here too long. Or does real food no longer appeal to you?" Winry asked.

Her roommate paused in considerable thought.

"Well, I could sure go for a cheeseburger at a fast food place right about now. But I'd also love to have that stew on the side. Besides, grandma would be proud to see something similar to her special dish being served to a group of people like us."

That seemed like a bad joke. Winry wondered what kind of old lady would ever be so cruel as to feel pride and joy for having such a depressing concoction served to a number of adolescents with mental issues. They at least deserved something remotely healthy- if not that, then something that actually tasted decent.

"You realize you're probably one of the rare few that actually enjoy that stuff, right? I don't even think the people that make it will eat any of it. And that says a lot, you know?"

"Not true. Josephine likes it. She's the main cook here too. I saw her eating a third bowl on the last day it was served. She enjoyed it just fine," Paninya argued, moving closer to their bedroom door.

Winry guessed the mere conversation of it was building an appetite for the other girl, for she was out and down the hall before their discussion had even come to a proper close. Still, she was grateful that their topic had shifted away from Dr. Elric. Conversing about slime stew was hardly her preference, but the former had made her embarrassed.

'_Well, on the bright side, at least one of us is looking forward to dinner now,' _she thought gloomily, trudging back to her bed. Unlike Paninya, she had grown fond of wearing slippers throughout her stay. It sure beat slipping and sliding down the long tile hallways; not to mention dirtying her socks faster than necessary. Shoes would be appropriate as well, but what was the point if they could have no laces?

Shrugging off her beginning footwear thoughts, Winry comfortably slid the slippers onto her feet and walked slowly to the exit of the room. She couldn't delay their dinner forever. She wished she could, since the incoming visual of the stew in her mind was making her stomach churn in protest.

'_I don't think all the seasoning in the world could change that stew's terrible flavor.'_

Even if that may have been so, she was still going to try. If necessary, Winry would use half or the entire container of salt and pepper, an extra drop of milk, and anything else potentially edible. And if it worked well, it would be a true miracle indeed.

'_God owes me that much,' _she thought bitterly.

* * *

"Oh you've got to be kidding. Not again."

Edward stared ahead at the small selection of food inside the small cafeteria, grimacing. His fellow colleagues stood behind him, chuckling and idly chattering about their upcoming dinner. Clearly, they didn't appear to look nearly as upset as he was. Dr. Elric considered himself a reasonable eater, for he was a growing young man after all. But if there was anything that he was actually taking a building resentment for, it would be the persistent appearance of the gruesome mess before him- the main chef's 'appetizing' stew.

"This damn stuff deserves a gold medal; one for its talented skill to resemble mud, and two for managing to somehow taste worse than milk. And that says a lot, considering that _usually _milk is what's supposed to be in here. Does Josephine not know about its crappy taste? None of the patients eat the stuff, and if they do, it's only because they're starving from the night before! No wonder so many 'em try escape. I'd try too if I was stuck eating this sorry excuse for stew every week," he complained.

"Such language, Dr. Elric. Mind the patients that are coming in. They'll hear you."

That was true. Edward was known for being a little more outgoing than most doctors in this place, but he did have to mind his words when his patients were around. Sometimes things occasionally slipped, but so far he had done reasonably well. Truth be told, he had a natural fondness for cursing, and was infamous for his over the top temper and cynical views. He still didn't have a religion he followed, and his feelings towards certain subjects could be considered unfavorably blunt… Still, he somehow managed himself well in the expansive field of medicine.

"How's your new patient coming along, Dr. Elric? I hear she's been a handful. What medication have you started her on? "

Nosy bastards. They were always 'concerned' about every patient, other than their own. His colleagues were soundly smart in their chosen profession, but they lacked common sense. Like himself, they were knowledgeable in about every medication out on the market and considered dosages as simple as the alphabet. But for one reason or another, every patient that was not their own fully intrigued them.

"She's as much of a handful as any other I'm giving treatment to. It's common for them to show signs of difficulty their first week. I'm not too concerned… she'll be fine," he insisted.

His words had actually been a simple truth. Patients _did _react strongly their first week kept under supervision; some a little worse than others, but the initial seven days always proved to be the most difficult.

"Has she shown any signs of improvement?" One asked.

Dr. Elric sighed and took a step closer to the line of food, reluctantly choosing to order a very small bowl of the biohazard stew. It made his stomach churn, but he was unfortunately experiencing hunger pangs. It may have looked liked trash, but it would no doubt calm his raging appetite.

"Depends on how you define that. She's talking more, so I guess I would label that as an improvement."

Winry was having an up and down period in Edward's opinion. As of late, she seemed to be doing better, but that in no way guaranteed some miraculous recovery anytime soon. He was a realist, if nothing else.

"Like I said… she'll be fine. I'm monitoring her," he huffed.

He would not repeat the same mistake. If he were to ever detect another disturbing abnormality in Winry's behavior, he would take the necessary steps to correct it. Edward didn't need anybody to tell him that he could have very well lost a patient that day because of his half hearted decision to leave her alone in her dark hour. The bandages he was forced to see wrapped around the girl's arm served very well as his daily reminder to remain cautious.

"Anyway, be quiet already, would ya? Take your own advice and mind the patients. They're coming in here, and I'd rather they didn't hear us discussing their personal lives. They do expect some privacy, you know?"

Choosing to not wait for whatever response was in mind; Dr. Elric quickly gathered the rest of his food and moved to find a table. Typically, they always settled for a spot that remained at a reasonable distance from their patients. With their discussions often played around the medical profession, the words they would so often toss around would most likely annoy or intimidate the others trying to eat in peace. Edward could converse in such ways for hours if he was expected to, but it didn't mean he preferred it. Still, he always indulged and humored the others, often overjoying them with his surprising intellect.

'Here we go again- Doctor Talk, session number two hundred. Don't these guys ever get bored with talking about generally the same thing?" he wondered.

Some of his patients were more than a little odd at times, but at least their conversations always surprised him and kept him alert. The ones who he was preparing to speak to now only managed to influence his will to sleep. The topics were always the same, and they always ended with at least one disagreement. The whole process was insanely dull and monotonous.

'_I'll bet if Winry could understand some of the terms we use, she'd have a strong opinion on all of it,'_ he thought. _'She's in here for a reason, but she's definitely an outspoken one.'_

Winry didn't appear to come off as anyone who was severely timid. Despite her diagnosis, she upheld her attitude and overall view of certain subjects. Like himself, she was thick headed. They both operated on the motto of 'My way or the highway'- a rather narrow minded view of looking at the world.

'_No wonder it's so hard to make conversation with her.' _

Speaking of Winry, he did believe he was catching a good glimpse of her straggling along at the end of the incoming patient line. Paninya, as usual, was beside her, most likely chattering about the most senseless things. He noted that a lot of girls did that. The two should have considered themselves lucky. Their conversation could focus on anything and everything. Granted, he would still get suspicious if they began to initiate any strange motions or mutter keywords such as, 'escape, lock, alarm, etc'. Other than that, his patients were not tied down in their chosen topics. At least not right now. The young teenagers _were _obligated to participate in group discussions of personal feelings, but aside from those awkward meetings, they had a broad range. At least he would like to think so. Lately, Edward had been sidestepping his medical approach to Winry altogether, and engaged her in open conversation. It was tending to keep tipping towards his metal prosthetic, but it certainly was far more welcome than the brimming anger he had been receiving from her, or the disturbing silence.

"She seems to be talking a lot more. That's a good sign."

Dr. Elric jumped in his seat and shifted his attention to the left. His annoying colleagues had managed to sneak up on him through his thoughts, and each now possessed their own small bowl of the toxic stew. How exciting…

"I told you guys that she was doing a lot better… or is my word not good enough?"

It sure didn't seem to be. Edward was considered a highly respected doctor. His analysis of people and objects alike was admirable, but he still had his difficult times where it seemed as though the ones above him regarded him as nothing more than a child. He was referred to as a prodigy in his earlier ages, but it in no way made him stupid-perhaps a little gullible from time to time, but certainly not stupid.

"Nonsense, Edward. Your word is as good as the rest of ours. We were merely complimenting you on your decision making for the girl. Why, I had a patient a couple years ago. A stubborn mule, she was. Wouldn't speak a word for weeks… I'm only happy to see you weren't burdened with the same personality type," a middle aged doctor explained.

Burdened? He did feel that way sometimes, but Edward didn't like to openly say the word. It sounded rather cold in his opinion, especially for a mental health specialist. But what did he know? He was still very young in their eyes.

'_Why don't these old guys just retire then if it's too much of a burden for them?'_

He probably needed to take his own advice. His thoughts on transferring Winry to another facility had been purely out of comfort for himself. Had he thought of her as a burden? Not really… But he was growing uncomfortable with how often she appeared in his mind. Her fiery attitude was addicting, but her accusation was continuously disturbing him. That had been the only reason he had ever thought of moving her out of state. It would have been for his benefit… not her own. And what a selfish move that would be if he ever chose to make it.

Half heartedly listening to his chattering colleagues as they gradually seated themselves, Edward continued to gaze at his blonde patient waiting in line. It frustrated him how much attention he unintentionally gave her. She wasn't the only person he was treating. He had many others, but her presence shamefully intrigued him. The fact that she tried so hard to usually get away from him was fascinating. He still didn't know too much about her on a personal level, but he couldn't help but be curious. It was his job to know of her medical history and incidents of depression and anxiety, such as school situations, but that was as far in depth as he could go without her choosing to reveal some information on her own.

'_The only thing personal I got out of her was that… accusation against Roy,' _he thought. _'And I don't see how she expects me to buy into that.' _

Any other doctor would have revealed Winry's allegations to a higher level by now, but Edward was still stubbornly choosing to keep it hidden. Perhaps his young age was turning out to be a handicap after all. Not to mention the fact that he was still in close relations to the hospital's medical director. This was becoming an increasingly hard thing to swallow. But would it kill him to even try to consider it? Sitting in this type of profession awarded him the ability to see things differently. He knew he could, but he often chose not to. His area of expertise was focused primarily on the brain, so he was aware of how high the potential was for that specific spot. It was unfair and naïve to assume that certain people were not capable of certain things. Human beings were capable of anything; they simply masked it well. It was a tough truth to face, but ignoring it didn't make it go away. Yet, it didn't fix anything either. If people were adept to a growing list of crimes, big or small, then they were also inclined to lie. That little snippet of information was something he was certain everybody knew. So, if that were the case, then that didn't exactly cancel Winry out either in this situation. But there was a question that often was asked by many in circumstances such as these.

Why would she lie?

Why would she not? Edward knew Roy Mustang personally, but so did the girl's parents. And although the couple didn't seem to hold any ill judgments against the man, Winry was carrying a bitter grudge. But who was to say it wasn't over something else?

'_But that doesn't make any sense either. She hasn't told anybody about him, aside from me. If I had it out for somebody, I sure as hell wouldn't be secretive about it,' _he thought.

Edward also had to consider that night Winry attempted to escape. That panicked delusion she had fallen into had not been simple acting. It was real… so no matter how he looked at it, she did appear to be a true victim of something. He just wasn't sure what that 'something' was. He had guessed sexual abuse before his patient had even decided to reveal that information, but it still made him stubbornly reluctant to truly accept any forming conclusion.

"Are these real flowers?"

What an odd question to suddenly hear. Reluctantly breaking his gaze away from the forming line of young teens, Edward shifted his golden eyes back to the men he was seated with. Interestingly enough, the others that had accompanied him to dinner were focused and discussing the table's center piece design. In the middle rested a plastic vase with a small assortment of flowers poking out from the top. The design was rather simple and could very well pass on a minimal level of aesthetics, but it lacked authenticity. The flowers were very far from achieving an appearance of floral excellence. The fact that one of the men among him had even asked such a thing confused and disturbed him.

"You're kidding, right? As if we would even be allowed to have real flowers sit in here. Everyone's too afraid that the adolescents here would just try to eat them. Though in all honesty, I would be more concerned about them eating the artificial copy than the real thing," Edward pointed out.

As usual, the young man received agreement from his elder counterparts.

"I think they just try to give the kids here the illusion that they're in a normal place," he continued. Unfortunately, that sounded a little harsher than he had intended. Personally, he liked the modest design. But judging from patients' reactions to their surroundings, his opinion was not well within their favor. Edward wasn't crazy about the flowery setup, but he did appreciate the furniture, shamelessly. They weren't the most comfortable seating arrangements, but he still found them a little enjoyable.

"I mean no offense to this place's personal style. I do like their blue couches and interesting…flowers, but I do prefer a more elegant appearance myself."

And what he meant by 'elegant' was awesome and cool. His room back at home was nothing impressive, but at least it quenched his scientific thirst for knowledge that applied in numerous branches of study, aside from the one he was in. It probably wouldn't kill him either to invest in just a few more additional posters to decorate his walls when he should ever find the time.

Disregarding the developing conversation circling around furniture, Edward turned his attention back to the single line of patients awaiting their food. It was amazing that the other doctors were now discussing something other than medicine; a true miracle actually. But the topic was a little too feminine for his tastes. He didn't want to sip on stew and discuss 'pretty flowers' and furniture. He had a reputation to uphold. Why, Winry would laugh at him if she heard him conversing about fanciful house decorations.

'_Why the hell should I care about what she'll think or do?' _he thought defensively. _'If I want to talk about couches, flowers, and comforter sets, I'll do it!'_

Just not right now. He didn't feel like proving a point. He really just wanted to eat his food. But the stew was hot, and so was the rest of his meal, no doubt. So instead of running the risk of burning his tongue off or foolishly judge the decorum with the others, Edward planted his eyes back on Winry and her overwhelmingly chipper sidekick. One would think someone so happy wouldn't need to be in such a place, but he knew better. Winry could occasionally be deceiving as well. He could see her reason for being under observation, but ever so often, she appeared to be healthy and almost happy. But that was far from the truth. He knew that much, at least. Winry was holding a lot of anger inside. It was sad, but a lot of it was surprisingly directed at herself. He could still remember the pain that flooded the girl's face the day he sat with her in the bathroom. The amount of emotions he witnessed seemed almost endless. It wasn't a new thing he was learning to face and experience, but it still did manage to bother him.

Watching the two girls receive their small tray of food, Dr. Elric remained quiet as his eyes followed them to a table located in a far corner. The dining room wasn't too terribly large, so monitoring their behavior wouldn't be all that difficult- or so he assumed. His persistent desire to stare was bound to become noticeable at one point, so when gold eyes unexpectedly met blue eventually, Edward nearly choked.

Winry had detected his presence almost instantly, so the first thing she noticed was his eyes eerily glued on her own. At least that's it what it probably looked like… Thankfully, she appeared more confused and curious than angry. She probably couldn't figure out why he was choosing to spy on her during their evening meal of all times. Paninya, on the other hand, was seemingly choosing to take it in stride. The moment she noticed him staring, she leaned forward in her seat and playfully poked her tongue out at him, before nudging her dinner companion for more of their quiet conversation.

'_Annoying brat', _he thought irritably.

What were they talking about anyway? They had chosen a rather isolated area after all. It was his job to make sure they didn't go continuing with their strange, secret patient code. What if they were discussing another escape? He couldn't allow that.

Clearing his throat and pushing his bowl of stew aside, Edward prepared to stand from his seat. He was certain that he was bordering on nosy, but the staff would thank him if he prevented another escape from being planned out. They looked suspicious in his opinion- that or he was just looking for some ridiculous excuse to speak with his Rockbell patient again.

"Come now, Dr. Elric. Where are you rushing off to now? You haven't even taken one bite of your food yet. Surely it's not all that bad."

Edward froze midway in his chair. He should have known he would hear some protests; especially from the eldest in their group. The man may have been getting to his retiring point, but he still was soundly sharp.

"It's still kind of hot. I was going to check up on everyone and make sure they're doing okay," he explained weakly.

The old man waved a hand and huffed.

"Nonsense. This stew is at the perfect temperature. Sit down. You work too much. Eat and tell us of your medical theories and research. We're quite fond of them. The patients will be fine. That's what the rest of the staff is for."

Well, he very well couldn't argue. It would seem too awkward in his opinion. Besides, if he even tried, he was certain he would just hear more complaints from the others. The old man wasn't lying when he said they all enjoyed listening to his analytical view points.

Turning his eyes momentarily back to Winry, he offered her a subtle smile, before readjusting himself back into his seat. Whether those two had planned to escape or not, he was certain that their topic of choice would have been far more interesting than the one he was ready to participate in as of now.

"_Well, there's always later,' _he grumbled inwardly.

With that kept in mind, Edward leaned forward in his chair to prepare for their upcoming subject of choice and the atrocious bowl of stew. He almost hoped it _was _still hot. If that was the case, he would take his chances and purposefully toast his tongue- at least then the remaining meal would be numb to his poor taste buds.

* * *

"I'm gonna throw up."

Winry's stomach felt as though it had gone through a wash cycle of multiple rinse and spins. She had come to the conclusion that no matter what additional ingredients she added on to Chef Josephine's stew, it would still taste just as bad as it did in the very beginning. She had sprinkled it countless times with salt and pepper, and had snagged two miniature cartons of milk to smooth out the texture and tang. Unfortunately, all had miserably failed, and she now found herself curled into a hopeless ball on her bed with an aching, raging stomachache.

"You don't want to do that. Remember? They might accuse you of being anorexic. You are kinda skinny," Paninya joked.

Winry groaned into her pillow.

"I'm glad _you're_ still feeling healthy and well."

Paninya didn't seem affected by their evening meal at all. But that had been expected, considering the fact that the girl had admitted to liking the served food. She was even starting to wonder if Chef Josephine was related at all to her roommate's mysterious grandmother. They both had a knack for brewing up the most unappetizing stew known to man.

"Of course I am. I could have gone for a third bowl if they would have let me. It's too bad they limit us to only second helpings. I don't see why. There was plenty more for all of us."

Winry shuddered at the thought.

"Why would any of us even want a _second_, much less a third helping?" she grimaced.

Paninya shrugged.

"Because it's good, that's why. In my opinion, it's just like fine wine. It takes some adjustments- an acquired taste, you know?"

She couldn't believe her roommate was comparing wine to the stew they had just been served. While wine was often seen as luxurious and elegant, the meal that had just gone down their digestive tract was far from it. It was possibly no better than eating out of a dumpster, as disgusting as that sounded.

"Whatever you say, just stop talking about that stuff, okay? I'd rather think of nice things to soothe my stomach right about now," Winry pleaded.

Not that there was much to think about right now that would be considered nice. Their room still wasn't much to look at, so it often proved to destroy whatever imagination she would obtain within limited amounts of time. The walls were still white, the bedding was still blue, and the furniture appeared to look less homely with every passing day.

"Why don't you just walk it off? Come on, a couple strolls down the hall up and down and you'll be fine."

As if. There was no way she would be moving from this spot any time soon. The staff could think what they wanted about her, but it wouldn't change her decision to remain still. She had become less stubborn with the small passage of time, but an upset stomach was more than enough reason to become snippy if provoked.

"Paninya, I'm not drunk. It's not like I'm trying to sober up or anything. I'm only interested in staying still right now. Besides, it's almost time for bed."

And what a blessing that was. Winry usually dreaded the upcoming hour of sleep, but taking in the consideration of pain she was in at the moment, she would take her chances. Besides, the sleeping medication that Rose had given to her a half hour prior was beginning to go into effect. Her eyelids were feeling heavy, and her body felt like lead. Thankfully, she had already done the evening requirements needed before sleep was approved. She had brushed her teeth, washed her face, and her daily shower had been done that early morning before school had started. Now it was time to relax and try to sleep away the queasy feeling bubbling through her.

"Well, you said you would rather think of nice things then? How about you think about Dr. Elric? He's nice to daydream about, I guess. Or even better… why don't you call him in here and ask for some medication to help your stomach?"

Winry's eyes snapped open fully, before rolling stubbornly on her side, keeping her back turned from the other girl on the opposite bed. She thought their silly talk of Edward was done and over with, but she was undoubtedly mistaken.

"Why would I go to him specifically? I could just ask Rose… she's a nurse. Besides, he's not even here anymore. The doctors are rarely around at this hour. You told me they typically always go home in the early evening."

Edward had stayed in the late hours for Winry's first couple nights within the treatment center, but eventually, he began to go home shortly after their dinner. It was typical, since patients were settling down for one remaining group session before bedtime. So, in truth, there was no need for them to be around until the following morning.

"Not tonight. He's still here. I guess he's doing his late night paperwork or something. It's a golden opportunity, girlie."

Winry pulled her blue blanket over her head and grumbled. She just wanted to sleep now and be left alone. Why did Paninya have to be so persistent?

"I told you if it gets too unbearable, I'll go find Rose. I don't need Dr. Elric to give me medicine personally. I'm not a baby," she insisted.

"Hey, nobody said it would make you a baby. I just think it would be kinda cute. I'm not the mushy type of person, but there can be exceptions," Paninya explained. "Besides, he was looking at you during dinner tonight. Maybe he wanted to talk to you."

"Or maybe he was just observing me like he does for all the rest of his patients, Paninya. He does that, you know? That's why he carries around that clipboard with a pen. It has nothing to do with wanting to talk to me."

Although, she had to admit that his staring had seemed to be a little more focused than that of what would be considered normal. Edward had seemed almost embarrassed that she had caught him watching her. If he truly had been just been observing her behavior and actions, then what was there to be embarrassed about?

"I think he likes to observe _and_ talk to you. He's a doctor… he can do both at the same time. So come on… call him in here to fix up your stomach," Paninya persisted.

Winry tightened the hold on her blanket and pressed her face further into her pillow.

"No. Now go to sleep," she grumbled.

"Aww, come on Win."

"Goodnight, Paninya," she huffed.

It had been tempting to find at least someone to give her medication for her aching stomach, but she was certain that by laying still and resting, it would go away all on its own; especially if she could find her way to a peaceful sleep. Edward Elric was turning out to be an interesting person with his personality and mysterious prosthetic arm, but she refused to giggle with her roommate and compliment his handsome looks at the current hour. He was indeed appealing to the eye, she couldn't deny that… but to even admit such a thing seemed awkward, considering who he was to her.

Hearing nothing but the sweet sound of silence within the room, Winry guessed that Paninya had taken the hint and was on her own way to falling asleep. It usually took her little to no time at all. How fortunate that must have been to drift off at the touch of a pillow to one's cheek.

'_It's just too bad that she snores.'_

_

* * *

_The evening dinner for the doctors had gone as well as could have been expected. It really hadn't been all that different from usual, aside from a few tossed in comments about more furniture. Edward had even reluctantly joined in, before granting their request to hear more about those theories they were always so curious about. Truthfully, his mind had still managed to stubbornly stick on the two girls eating in the corner, but the occasional sips at the stew in front of him never failed to make him cringe and temporarily entertain the thought of dumping his bowl onto the chef's head. Perhaps that would show her just how well liked her meal really was- not to mention the bland meatloaf. Despite all of that, Dr. Elric still chose to eat as much as humanly possible, for the sake of calming his appetite. However, in exchange he knew he had to now deal with a queasy stomach.

'_Feeding all of us that crap should be considered a crime. Attempted murder by a lethal ingestion of poison,' _he thought.

He always had felt that his stomach was relatively tough to strange food, but Chef Josephine's special servings on particular nights had him wondering if that was really the case. Perhaps his body was far more fragile than he thought. That or her cooking was just exceptionally bad.

'_I think I'll stick with the latter. It makes me feel better.' _

At least it did mentally. Physically, he felt like rolling in a ball and cursing his decision to even eat dinner that night. Instead, he had no choice but to keep walking down the long hallway of the hospital. By all means, he should have gone home hours ago, but to avoid stacks of paperwork in the morning, Edward had decided to just complete them while he had the minimal motivation to do so. With that finished, he was currently passing by his patients' rooms, occasionally peering in to confirm their presence and location. It was well past 9:30 into the night, so he didn't expect any of them to be roaming about. Awake, maybe, but in bed no less. He had already caught a couple of them sitting up and talking, but decided to let it slide. He was simply too tired to correct petty behavior. Besides, that job belonged to Hughes tonight.

Reaching the room that belonged to the girls he had been 'spying' on earlier, Edward slowed himself down to a complete stop. From the small distance, he could hear no giggling or chortling, so he was guessing that the two had already fallen asleep for the night. It had been a rather long day, and he did believe Winry and Paninya were on sleeping medication. He was the one who had written the order for it, after all. Still, there was nothing wrong with checking up on them like he had been doing for everybody else.

Taking a few small steps towards the room, Dr. Elric turned his head to soon peer inside as he neared the doorway. From what he could see and hear, Paninya was snoring away on the far bed nearest to the window. The blankets and sheets were already halfway dangling to the ground, and her body was haphazardly sprawled on the small mattress. It humorously reminded him of how he himself could get at nights in his own bed. He had a tendency to sleep with his stomach out after eating a monstrous dinner. His brother never failed to mention it to him on the following days.

'_At least someone's stomach survived that brick tasting stew,' _he mused.

Speaking of survival, the one he had been eyeing earlier didn't look as though hers had done the same. As Edward moved further into the room, he could clearly see the blankets and sheets bundled in a tight ball, with a steady stream of blonde hair leaking out and a half hidden face. Winry didn't seem to look as though she had gone to sleep feeling too comfortable, but apparently her medication had still done its job in the end.

'_It's too bad that not even Winry can handle the chef's food here.'_

It was also too bad that he had never even gotten the chance to talk to her again like he had wanted. If it weren't for those annoying colleagues of his, he probably would have managed. Now he would never know if they had been discussing shady business in their secret patient code. Oh well. Maybe next time…

Hesitantly kneeling down at the girl's bedside, Edward took a closer look at the sleeping blonde within her blanket. She certainly didn't seem the type to lie, but who could really determine something like that with looks and appearances alone? For example, Not too many could ever guess his own story with how well he masked it day by day. But that wasn't to say he had ever lied about it. He just avoided the conversation altogether. And the only one who ever had been able to understand was Roy Mustang.

But Winry… her accusation was tearing down the comfortable walls he had built up. He had grown content knowing that at least one person, aside from his brother, had taken the time to support him and help him back to his feet with genuine concern. In fact, Mustang still chose to stubbornly pay for his repairs from time to time, whenever it was needed. He had lifted him up that day when his world had fallen apart. He had brought him to what he was now today... a well respected doctor. So how could a man who had done all of that do so much damage to a young girl like Winry? It just didn't seem possible to him. He could accept that fact someone had hurt her, but it couldn't have been Roy.

"Dr. Elric, did you intentionally include 'stalking' as part of your job description, or was it accidental?"

Edward slowly rose to his feet from his kneeling position and carefully turned his body to face the one standing in the doorway. Surprisingly, it had been the very person he had just been thinking about. As usual, the man presented himself as calmly and efficiently as ever.

"I don't consider it stalking at all, as a matter-of-fact, Mustang. You forget that quite a lot of the patients I treat have suicidal tendencies. I don't find anything wrong with making sure they're still breathing and living. Or does that bother you somehow?"

Yes, he respected the man to a degree, but it didn't mean he had to openly tolerate his sarcasm.

"Oh, of course not. I'm actually pleased to have such a dedicated young man as part of my staff, Edward. I have no doubt that Ms. Rockbell here is in good hands with you. Let's just hope her condition improves before long. I'd hate to have her transferred if things don't meet up to standard expectations," Mustang said.

Moving Winry to another location was supposed to be a last resort if the facility here could not adhere to her medical needs, but the mention of it so soon was unwelcome. Dr. Elric had gone over the thought as well, but as he had told himself before, it had only been for his own benefit, not his patient.

"It's only been a week. Don't insult me. She's doing better already. She's becoming more…social."

"Oh? That's good to hear. Is she participating in the group sessions yet?"

Edward sighed.

"From what I've been told, she hasn't been, no. But it's getting better. She's making progress, Mustang. And why do you always have to hassle me about these things anyway?"

A light chuckle escaped the other man's lips.

"Because I do believe its part of my job, correct? And is it wrong of me to be concerned for a good friends' young daughter? Winry was an exceptional student through her years of schooling. I'm only upset to see that she's fallen into a depression like this. It's difficult to watch."

Roy shrugged.

"In any case, I've come to relieve you of your overly long work shift today. I hear you've been overworking again, as usual, so I decided to drop by and extend an invitation."

Edward's eyes turned back to the sleeping Winry, signaling for the man behind him to tone his voice down.

"An invitation? To where? You're aware that my birthday isn't exactly here yet, right? Or is this to make up again for last year when you were late to the party?"

"Not exactly, no. It's only an attempt to pry you out of this mental institution so you can relax once in awhile. Besides, staying any longer in here and we might be waking up one of your patients very soon."

That was very true. They were shamelessly still talking in Winry and Paninya's room. Paninya was still snoring away, but it was the other girl who looked as though she was beginning to stir. How stupid they had been to stand in here and chat in the first place.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go. But I'm not going to a bar. I'm tired of hearing the people in there complain at me because of my age and overall height. I never liked drinking very much, anyway."

Mustang turned to leave, shrugging once more.

"You open to having a bite to eat?"

"Hell no. Not after consuming that stew tonight. Pick something else…"

On the way out of the room, Edward had been tempted to steal one last glance at the sleeping girl behind him. He wasn't sure why it mattered to check once more, but his head tilted back to do just that. He expected to see Winry in the same position as she been in just moments ago- curled up, eyes closed, and oblivious to the world around her. While he confirmed that most of that was still trustfully the same, he noted one minor difference. Her eyes were now open- wide open. And if he didn't know better, he would guess that the deceptive girl had been awake all along. Sure, she looked tired from what he could see, but judging by the pained look crossing her features, he could very well assume that she had been listening to almost their entire conversation. And it wasn't to say that the topics of choice during their discussion had been inappropriate at all. Edward could only guess that she felt upset to find him now preparing to spend his leisure time with a man she held such hatred toward. But what could he do? He realized she was now awake, but what good would come out of it if he were to step back inside to comfort her? How could he? What could he have possibly said to make it any better for her? He could only truly console her if he allowed himself to believe her story. And he couldn't do that.

"Come on, Edward. We don't have all night. There is work in the morning, you know?"

Winry's eyes were holding him so tightly in place; he almost felt he was suffocating. She didn't look as though she was angry with him as of yet- just severely disappointed. Was it sad to admit that even he himself was starting to feel the same way? Edward felt like he was betraying her trust in him, as little as it was. He didn't have to stand before her and call her a liar. His actions were voicing that clearly enough just by what he was doing now, and he hated it. He felt so guilty.

Reluctantly turning his head back to the front, Dr. Elric stepped out of the room to follow behind the impatient medical director pacing down the hall. He felt terrible. Really, he did. But for the life of him, he couldn't make himself stop. He couldn't make himself go back to her to apologize. Edward had no other relationship with Winry, other than to treat her and guide her through a treatment program. He had no connective ties with her whatsoever. But he did have an obligation to the girl, whether he wanted to accept that or not. He had the responsibility to listen to her, and to make her feel safe. What he was doing now was none of the above, other than wilting the miniscule amount of trust that was desperately trying to grow between them. But just what was he supposed to do? What he had been trying to do for Winry, Mustang had done for him so long ago. How could she or anyone else expect him to walk away from that? He valued Roy's friendship, and was more than reluctant to just let it fall apart. How could anyone blame him for that?

Sighing, Edward moved ahead more quickly to catch up with the one walking before him. Perhaps a drink or two wouldn't be out of the question after all. Suddenly, he seemed to really need it. He just hoped they could make it through that terrible rain and fog outside.

'_Goodnight Winry. I'm sorry.' _

_

* * *

_Silverbell: Yes, yes…You're all angry again at me. I did get some nudging from some of you over the past couple months to update. But as you know, life has a tendency to get in the way. I was working at the Fashion Show mall here at my job and I actually fainted a couple weeks ago. How humiliating that was! I'm back in college, and Japanese is getting pretty tough, but challenging. Not to mention, I'll admit… I'm such an addict to yahoo messenger and my occasional Facebook. But at least I'm honest! Anyway, I would like to stress to all of you that no matter how close Edward and Roy appear to be; there is no current plans to have them have a history or future of any yaoi. I will admit, I like yaoi, and I like that pairing, but this is for Edward and Winry. Roy is just… getting in the way, obviously. Damn you Roy!

Read and Review, please? Love you all! And Coco! Can't forget Coco! And Songbird! And- Oh geez… All of you! I love all of you!

Note- Also, I realize the romance is moving painfully slow for some of you. However, I must stress to you all the importance of taking it at this speed. Considering their circumstances in this situation; their roles they play to eachother, and their location... not to mention Roy's presence. It does hinder and delay their feelings... kinda like a road block. But there are changes, I hope you all can see. I also understand that this particular chapter did not carry ANY Edwin interactions. But I did that in itself to show our lovely Dr. Elric's growing desperation to speak with his... patient. So yes, yes.. I understand some of your complaints, and I do apologize if its going too slow for your liking. But I really have to pace myself.

But here... for your temporary enjoyment till the next chapter.

Dr. Elric: -Cough- Winry...?

Winry:...Hmm?

Dr. Elric: Would you go tell the authorities if I admitted to having some sort of...attraction to you?

Winry:...No?

Dr. Elric: I mean, I know I'm your doctor...

Winry:... Um...

Dr. Elric: Ah hell.. Will you just go on a damn date with me?

Winry: ...Well I would, but...

Dr. Elric: You will? Great, then the courtyard it is. -Tugs her off-

Roy: -Peers over the window with binoculars- ...Interesting.

Silverbell: Oh, what a terrible mistake you've made Roy. The readers here aren't very happy with you. -Opens the magical 'Read and Reviewers' door- This is their perfect opportunity to now beat the snot out of you.

Roy- ...

Silverbell: Toodles!


End file.
